Comparison between measured and simulated breakdown characteristics in micro discharges in argon

POSTER

Abstract

Devices with micron and sub-micron gaps can face a serious challenge due to electrical breakdown during manufacturing, handling and operation. Therefore, it is necessary to be aware of the breakdown voltage for different gaps. Gas breakdown and Volt-Ampere characteristics are studied in an atmospheric pressure argon discharges. Experimental results are compared with the results obtained by using PIC/MCC code in order to establish whether the standard micro discharges operate in Townsend regime or in Glow Regime. The code is adjusted to include field emission effect in microgaps. It is applied manly for the breakdown stage but may also follow the formation of the space charge. The measurements of Volt-Ampere and breakdown characteristics of micro discharges were performed down to 20\,$\mu$m gaps at pressures up to 400\,Torr. Paschen curves reveal that very tight geometry is required to avoid long path breakdown at the left hand side of the Paschen curve. It is critical to measure width of the discharge to test the scaling and regime of operation of micro discharges.

Authors

  • Zoran Petrovic

    Institute of Physics, Institute of Physics Belgrade, Serbia, Institute of Physics, Belgrade

  • Marija Radmilovic-Radjenovic

    Institute of Physics

  • John B. Boffard

    Nagoya University, Nagoya Univ., NU-Eco Eng, Meijo Univ., Aichi Inst. Tech., Tohoku Univ., Univ.of Tokyo, Saitama Univ., Saitama Small Enterprise Prom. Corp., Dept. of Biomed. Eng., Musashi Inst. of Technol., Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, OH, WVU, Morgantown, WV, Department of Physics, Old Dominion University, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Institut f\'ur Niedertemperatur Plasmaphysik, Greifswald, Germany, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Dept. of Physics, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, School of EPS - Chemistry, Heriot-Watt University, UK, School of Pharmacy and iEPSAM, Keele University, UK, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, UK, Plasma \& Surface Analysis Division, Hiden Analytical Ltd., UK, Institute of Physics, Belgrade, Serbia, School of Electrical Engineering, Belgrade, Serbia, Katagiri Engineering, Meijo University, Dong-A University, UES, Dayton, OH, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia, West Virginia University, Charles University in Prague, Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i., USTHB, LECTCM, PO. Box 32 El Alia, BabEzzouar, Algiers, Algeria, CDTA, Department of Physics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc., Dayton, OH, Department of Physics, KAIST and Courant Institute, NYU, Department of Physics, KAIST, Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, SoCPES, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, Center for Plasma Science and Technology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, University of Missouri-Rolla, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Australian National University, Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics, Applied Materials, Sandia National Laboratories, Lam Research Corporation, UC Berkeley, Prometheus Energy Company, Army Research Laboratory, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, University of Pittsburgh, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Berkeley Research Associates, Commonwealth Technologies, Inc., Naval Research Laboratory, Philips Lighting (CDL), Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, Department of Electrical Engineering, Nagoya University, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, Queens University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Katagiri Engineering Co., Ltd., NU EcoEngineering Co., Ltd., NU System Co., Ltd., Wakayama University, Department of Physics, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech, MS 183-601, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA, Old Dominion University, NIE and Institute of Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University, The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee - 247667, India, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany, University of Antwerpen, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium, Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia, Tokyo Electron, Hokkaido University, OSRAM GmbH, Munich, Germany, INP Greifswald, Germany, Departamento de Fisica, Universidade da Madeira, Largo do Municipio, 9000 Funchal, Portugal, Ruhr-University Bochum, RSPhysSE, ANU, Australia, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Ecole Polytechnique, France, Nanotechnology Research Institute, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, Institute for Plasma and Atomic Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, DF, UM, Braga, Auburn University, Research group PLASMANT, Dep. of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Belgium, Open University, University of Glasgow, Dept. of Physics \& Astronomy, Kelvin Building, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK, EM2C, Ecole Centrale, LPTP, Ecole Polytechnique, France, State University, St Petersburg, INP-Greifswald, Ecole Polytechnique, Queen`s University Belfast, Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Ulster, University of Duisburg-Essen, Applied Materials, Inc., LPTP, Ecole Polytechnique, Kyoto University, Center for Plasma Science and Technology, Ruhr-Universtity Bochum, Germany, Centre for Plasma Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, University of Minnesota, Dublin City University, Institute for Theoretical Electrical Engineering, Ruhr-University Bochum, Institute for Plasma and Atomic Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology, Dublin City University, Ireland, Centre for Plasma Science and Technology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, University of Manchester

  • John B. Boffard

    Nagoya University, Nagoya Univ., NU-Eco Eng, Meijo Univ., Aichi Inst. Tech., Tohoku Univ., Univ.of Tokyo, Saitama Univ., Saitama Small Enterprise Prom. Corp., Dept. of Biomed. Eng., Musashi Inst. of Technol., Air Force Research Laboratory, WPAFB, OH, WVU, Morgantown, WV, Department of Physics, Old Dominion University, Technische Universiteit Eindhoven, Institut f\'ur Niedertemperatur Plasmaphysik, Greifswald, Germany, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Dept. of Physics, Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, School of EPS - Chemistry, Heriot-Watt University, UK, School of Pharmacy and iEPSAM, Keele University, UK, School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, UK, Plasma \& Surface Analysis Division, Hiden Analytical Ltd., UK, Institute of Physics, Belgrade, Serbia, School of Electrical Engineering, Belgrade, Serbia, Katagiri Engineering, Meijo University, Dong-A University, UES, Dayton, OH, AFRL, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, St. Petersburg State University, St. Petersburg, Russia, West Virginia University, Charles University in Prague, Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, v. v. i., USTHB, LECTCM, PO. Box 32 El Alia, BabEzzouar, Algiers, Algeria, CDTA, Department of Physics, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, Innovative Scientific Solutions, Inc., Dayton, OH, Department of Physics, KAIST and Courant Institute, NYU, Department of Physics, KAIST, Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, Australian National University, Canberra, Centre for Antimatter-Matter Studies, SoCPES, Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia, Center for Plasma Science and Technology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, University of Missouri-Rolla, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Australian National University, Max-Planck-Institute for Nuclear Physics, Applied Materials, Sandia National Laboratories, Lam Research Corporation, UC Berkeley, Prometheus Energy Company, Army Research Laboratory, Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, University of Pittsburgh, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Berkeley Research Associates, Commonwealth Technologies, Inc., Naval Research Laboratory, Philips Lighting (CDL), Eindhoven, The Netherlands, Sekisui Chemical Co., Ltd., Faculty of Systems Engineering, Wakayama University, Department of Electrical Engineering, Nagoya University, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, Queens University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Katagiri Engineering Co., Ltd., NU EcoEngineering Co., Ltd., NU System Co., Ltd., Wakayama University, Department of Physics, California State University, Fullerton, CA 92834, USA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Caltech, MS 183-601, 4800 Oak Grove Drive, Pasadena, CA 91109, USA, Old Dominion University, NIE and Institute of Advanced Studies, Nanyang Technological University, The University of Texas at Austin, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee - 247667, India, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Ruhr-University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany, University of Antwerpen, B-2020 Antwerpen, Belgium, Institute of Theoretical and Applied Mechanics, 630090 Novosibirsk, Russia, Tokyo Electron, Hokkaido University, OSRAM GmbH, Munich, Germany, INP Greifswald, Germany, Departamento de Fisica, Universidade da Madeira, Largo do Municipio, 9000 Funchal, Portugal, Ruhr-University Bochum, RSPhysSE, ANU, Australia, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, Ecole Polytechnique, France, Nanotechnology Research Institute, University of Ulster, Newtownabbey, Institute for Plasma and Atomic Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany, DF, UM, Braga, Auburn University, Research group PLASMANT, Dep. of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Belgium, Open University, University of Glasgow, Dept. of Physics \& Astronomy, Kelvin Building, University of Glasgow, G12 8QQ, UK, EM2C, Ecole Centrale, LPTP, Ecole Polytechnique, France, State University, St Petersburg, INP-Greifswald, Ecole Polytechnique, Queen`s University Belfast, Institute of Physics Belgrade, University of Ulster, University of Duisburg-Essen, Applied Materials, Inc., LPTP, Ecole Polytechnique, Kyoto University, Center for Plasma Science and Technology, Ruhr-Universtity Bochum, Germany, Centre for Plasma Physics, Queen's University Belfast, Northern Ireland, University of Minnesota, Dublin City University, Institute for Theoretical Electrical Engineering, Ruhr-University Bochum, Institute for Plasma and Atomic Physics, Ruhr-University Bochum, National Centre for Plasma Science and Technology, Dublin City University, Ireland, Centre for Plasma Science and Technology, Ruhr University Bochum, Germany, University of Manchester

  • Nikola Skoro

    Institute of Physics

  • Dragana Maric

    Institute of Physics