Plasma-based microwave power limitation in a printed transmission line: a self-consistent model compared with experimental data

Fuster, Lucas; Hagelaar, Gerjan; Pascaud, Romain; Simon, Aude; Hoffmann, Patrick; Liard, Laurent; Pascal, Olivier; Callegari, Thierry

doi:10.1088/1361-6595/ac4848

Cited by 5 publications

(13 citation statements)

References 40 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…The effect in longer times and steady-state should be properly investigated although under the high pressure conditions of this work, the discrepancy should remain qualitatively bounded to an acceptable range. For future studies, we recommend using the electron energy density flux given by equation (11), which is consistent with the models used in [37,38] where thermal conductivity is governed by the free diffusion coefficient. (b) The model ignores any detailed plasma chemistry and only direct electron impact ionization (ignoring step-wise processes), attachment, electron-ion dissociative recombination are considered while electron impact excitation is included in the electron energy balance.…”

Section: Discussion On Physical Modelmentioning

confidence: 83%

“…The current model thus, underestimates the electron energy density flux inside the plasma bulk region, compared to the more consistent models used in e.g. [37,38], where thermal conduction is governed by the free diffusion coefficient. In section 5, we elaborate on the possible consequences of the used formulation.…”

Section: Physical Modelmentioning

confidence: 77%

“…Radiation from the microstrip discontinuity (gap), concentration of the radiating and confined electric fields as well as EM resonances are also neglected under the quasi-static approximation. Recently, a very interesting work on full wave-low pressure, argon, plasma simulations of a suspended microstrip transmission line integrating a micro hollow cathode discharge for power limitation applications have been reported [37]. The non-quasineutral, plasma model incorporates a detailed chemistry model and the complete model workflow follows the pioneering work of [38]: An EM submodel provides the average electron power over one or multiple EM periods, which is then injected into a plasma submodel to model the plasma development in different time-scales than the EM wave evolution.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The fully coupled quasi-neutral model takes into consideration important wave-plasma interactions that have been omitted in previous numerical studies of such devices. Although the model remains quite simplified in terms of plasma chemistry and quasi-neutral in nature, in contrast to more sophisticated models such as in [37,[40][41][42][43] (nonexhaustive list) which have been applied to high-frequency plasmas, it allows for understanding important aspects of micro-discharges and performing efficiently parametric studies. First, we present briefly some modelling aspects and the simulation conditions (section 2).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 3 more Smart Citations

Full-wave and plasma simulations of microstrip excited, high-frequency, atmospheric pressure argon microdischarges

Kourtzanidis

2023

Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Two-dimensional fully coupled EM wave-plasma simulations are used to study the formation, early transient and quasi-steady state of the argon plasma excited by a two-dimensional discontinuous microstrip line. The electromagnetic waves that normally propagate in the microstrip transmission line, radiate and scatter at the position of the gap and the electric field is enhanced primarily at the corner of the gap. The microdischarge is preferentially formed at this position of the EM field hotspot and in low frequencies propagates on the dielectric surface, much like a microwave surface streamer. In longer times, diffusion dominates and the whole gap is filled with plasma of maximum density in the order of $10^{20}$ $m^{-3}$ while it occupies a volume larger than the gap. Mean electron temperatures range from 2.8 to 3.9 eV, while the plasma reaches a quasi-static regime in approximately 2 $\mu$ s having reconfigured the transmission and radiation patterns of the slitted microstrip line. The tunability of the microstrip due to plasma formation provides means for sustaining the discharge in a stable regime. For the same input EM power, the electron temperature increases with increasing excitation frequency while electron densities found to decrease. For the same wave frequency, a decrease of the electron densities with increasing gap is also found in addition to a restriction of the discharge expansion. Finally, thicker dielectrics result to higher electron densities and electron temperatures as well as absorbed power from the plasma. These findings are attributed to the dependence of absorbed EM power and skin depth on the EM wave angular frequency, the critical for shielding electron density as well as the restructuring of the S-parameters due to the changes in operational parameters.

show abstract

Section: Discussion On Physical Modelmentioning

confidence: 83%

Section: Physical Modelmentioning

confidence: 77%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Full-wave and plasma simulations of microstrip excited, high-frequency, atmospheric pressure argon microdischarges

Kourtzanidis

2023

Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Recently, the authors have proposed a microstrip transmission line device integrating a microwave-sustained discharge for power limiting applications [11]. Although initially developed to protect against high-power microwave threats, this device can also be seen as a potential microwave plasma source.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microwave plasma interaction in a printed transmission line for a power limiting application: from surface-wave-sustained to leaky-wave-sustained discharge

Fuster,

Pascaud,

Sokoloff

et al. 2024

Plasma Sources Sci. Technol.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The coupling between a microwave signal and a plasma discharge in a suspended microstrip transmission line is analytically studied. Maxwell's equations are solved in a 2D approximation to get the expressions of the electromagnetic field. The wave propagation in the guiding structure is first explored without plasma, and for several modes and frequencies. A unified characterization of the three different modes that can propagate at the interface between two dielectric media, namely the leaky waves, the pseudo-surface wave and the pure surface wave, is given in terms of of both wave vectors and electromagnetic field magnitude distribution. This analyze allow to conclude that the fundamental mode in this case is a pseudo-surface wave. Thereafter, we focus on the microwave propagation with a uniform plasma inside the guiding structure. In the non collisional limit, it appears that the plasma discharge is sustained by the so-called pure surface wave, whereas in the collisional limit, a leaky wave propagates along the plasma column. Finally, a non-uniform density profile is taken into account in the calculation. The numerical results obtained from the self-consistent simulation of the microwave-plasma coupling, in a previous work, are thus analyzed with the aid of the analytical formulas to identify the microwave coupling involved in our plasma-based microwave power limiter. The computed propagation constant from numerical data confirmed the type of coupling exhibited for a uniform electron density. Furthermore, we highlight the role of the dielectric slab, from which electromagnetic power transfer occurs into the plasma discharge.

show abstract

New insights in the stratification of an argon positive column plasma. I. Theory

Boeuf,

Boufendi,

Dosbolayev

et al. 2024

Physics of Plasmas

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This study investigates the conditions leading to stratification in a quasineutral argon positive column plasma, focusing on a pressure-column radius product, pR, in the range 0.1–10 Torr cm neglecting Coulomb collisions and electron–ion recombination. We achieve this by linearizing the electron transport equations while incorporating metastable ionization. Dispersion relations indicate that positive column stratification may result from a thermoelectric transport term in the electron energy equation, particularly the density gradient term in the energy flux related to the Dufour effect, or from the non-linearity of ionization due to metastable ionization. The present study shows that for small values of the pR product (less than about 0.3–0.5 Torr cm), the plasma is maintained by direct ionization and the stratification of the positive column is entirely due to the thermoelectric term of the electron energy equation. For larger pR products, the reduced electric field decreases due to lower charged particle losses to the wall, and the plasma is maintained by stepwise and associative ionization of metastable atoms. The dispersion relations show that the growth of instabilities above 0.3–0.5 Torr cm is still linked to the thermoelectric coefficient but that the presence of metastable atoms is necessary for the development of instabilities. The non-linearity of the metastable density with the electron density is not the cause of the stratification in this range of pR product, contrary to previous claims. Experiments and particle simulations presented in Paper II [Dosbolayev et al., Phys. Plasmas 13, 085015 (2024)] are qualitatively consistent with the theory presented in this article.

show abstract

Plasma-based microwave power limitation in a printed transmission line: a self-consistent model compared with experimental data

Cited by 5 publications

References 40 publications

Full-wave and plasma simulations of microstrip excited, high-frequency, atmospheric pressure argon microdischarges

Full-wave and plasma simulations of microstrip excited, high-frequency, atmospheric pressure argon microdischarges

Microwave plasma interaction in a printed transmission line for a power limiting application: from surface-wave-sustained to leaky-wave-sustained discharge

New insights in the stratification of an argon positive column plasma. I. Theory

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About