Evolution of ionization waves in a multi-pulsed plasma jet:the role of memory charges

In this paper,we discuss the properties of ionization waves(IWs)in a multi-pulsed plasma jet while using the two-dimensional computational approach.The IWs are generated by application of three short negative pulses with a repetition frequency 12.5 MHz.The simulations are performed continuously during a single run while accounting for charges accumulated inside(surface charges)and outside(space charges)the tube.The plasma forming gas mixture(He/O2=99.8%/0.2%)is injected through the discharge tube into the surrounding humid air.We show that an IW can emerge from the tube exit at a pulse rising edge(as a negative IW)and at a falling edge of the same pulse(as a positive IW).It is demonstrated that remnants of the negative and positive charges play an essential role in the discharge evolution.The first pulse travels the shortest distance as it propagates through the initially non-ionized environment.The IWs developing during the second pulse essentially enlarge the plasma plume length.At the same time,the IWs generated by the third pulse eventually decay due to the remnants of charges accumulated during the previous pulses.Accumulated memory charges can lead to the IW extinction.

Experimental observation of ionization and shock fronts in foam targets driven by thermal radiation

The behaviours of ionization and shock propagation in radiatively heated material is crucial for the understanding of indirect drive inertial confinement fusion as well as some astrophysics phenomena. In this work, radiation field with a peak temperature of up to 155 eV was generated in a gold cavity heated by four laser beams on the SG-II laser system and was used to irradiate a plastic foam cylinder at one end. The radiatively ablated foam cylinder was then backlighted side-on by x-ray from a laser-irradiated Ti disk. By observing the transmission decrease due to the shock compression of the foam cylinder, the trajectories of shock front were measured, and from the onset of the intense thermal emission from the side of the cylinder, the propagations of the ionization front were also observed on the same shot. The experimental measurements were compared to predictions of the radiation hydrodynamics code Multi-1D and reasonable agreements were found.

Investigation on the streamer propagation in atmospheric pressure helium plasma jet by the capacitive probe

In this letter,the streamer propagation in the atmospheric pressure helium plasma jet with afloating electrode nozzle driven by the kHz AC power supply is investigated.The current signal induced by the space charges and the mean propagation velocity of the guided ionization waves are measured by the capacitive probe method in the discharge region.The space charges in the guided ionization waves are found to increase with the applied voltage,which enhances both the electric field near the streamer head and the propagation velocity.The applicability of the streamer mechanism to the propagation of the guided ionization waves is validated by this electrical diagnostic method.

Formation and destruction of striation plasmas in helium glow discharge at medium pressures

The striation plasmas are usually generated within a positive column of glow discharge,where rich and complex physical interactions are involved,especially,in the medium or high pressures.Along these lines,our work aims to thoroughly investigate the formation and destruction of helium striation plasmas at kPa level pressures.The characteristics of the helium striation plasmas,and especially the optical emission properties are explored.The emission lines of 706.52 nm and391.44 nm related to the energetic electrons and the high-energy metastable helium atoms respectively,were focused on in this work.The formation of striation plasmas in a helium glow discharge,is mainly associated with the instability originating from the stepwise ionization of high-energy metastable state atoms,Maxwellization of the electron distribution functions and gas heating.Additionally,the destruction effect of helium striation plasmas is of great significance when a small amount of nitrogen or oxygen is mixed into the discharge plasmas.The reduction of the mean electron energy and the consumption of the high-energy metastable helium atoms are considered as the underlying reasons for the destruction of striation plasmas.

Transport of ultraintense laser-driven relativistic electrons in dielectric targets

Ultraintense laser-driven relativistic electrons provide a way of heating matter to high energy density states related to many applications. However, the transport of relativistic electrons in solid targets has not been understood well yet,especially in dielectric targets. We present the first detailed two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations of relativistic electron transport in a silicon target by including the field ionization and collisional ionization processes. An ionization wave is found propagating in the insulator, with a velocity dependent on laser intensity and slower than the relativistic electron velocity. Widely spread electric fields in front of the sheath fields are observed due to the collective effect of free electrons and ions. The electric fields are much weaker than the threshold electric field of field ionization. Two-stream instability behind the ionization front arises for the cases with laser intensity greater than 5 × 1019W/cm^2 that produce high relativistic electron current densities.