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Vacuum
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Article history: Localized behavior of laser induced metallic plasmas has been investigated using Langmuir probe as an
Received 16 April 2009 electrostatic diagnostic tool. A Q-switched Nd:YAG pulsed laser (1064 nm, 12 ns, 1.1 MW) is tightly
Received in revised form focused on metal targets (Cu, Zn, Cd, Ag, Pt and Au) having dimensions 2 2 0.2 cm3 under vacuum
27 October 2009
w103 torr. The varying biasing voltages are applied to Langmuir probe. The electric signals are recorded
Accepted 5 January 2010
on two channel 200 MHz digital storage oscilloscope (UNI T – UTT 2202). A comparison shows strong
dependence of electron parameters (temperature, density, Debye length, plasma frequency and number
Keywords:
of particles in Debye sphere) in plasmas on target materials’ properties (atomic number, surface binding
Nd:YAG laser
Laser induced plasma energy etc.). The maximum values for electron density (8.08502 1017 m3), Debye length (8.07066 10
Langmuir probe
4
m), plasma frequency (5.19627 1010 Hz) are found for silver and copper metals, respectively, where
Electron parameters and vacuum as the electron temperature shows variation in this trend i.e. maximum value (1.36581 106 K) for
cadmium and minimum value is for gold (1.0008 105 K). the maximum value of number of particles in
Debye length at þ15 V (1.47 1026) for Pt and that minimum for Ag (2.1355 107).
Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
0042-207X/$ – see front matter Ó 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.vacuum.2010.01.036
K.A. Bhatti et al. / Vacuum 84 (2010) 980–985 981
Table 1
Probe I–V-characteristics curve.
laser interferometry, Thomson scattering, laser induced fluores- condition. Under wide range of conditions, the disturbance caused
cence, beam deflectometry, etc. [20,21]. Langmuir probe is one of by the probe is localized. Langmuir probe theory is based on the
the best techniques to study the local behavior of the electrons in assumption that the charge carriers in the space collisionless in the
the low temperature plasmas [21]. The measurements of plasma plasma sheath around the probe that forms a sheath that has
parameters using Langmuir probe as electrical diagnostic have a well-defined boundary and beyond which plasma is undisturbed
foundation on the current voltage (I–V) curve of a metallic elec- by the presence of the probe. Electric field produced by the
trode that is inserted in the plasma. Langmuir probe theory is based difference between the potential of probe and plasma potential is
on the assumption the charge carriers in the space collisionless in limited to the volume inside the boundary of probe sheath [21]. The
the plasma sheath around the probe that is formed sheath a well- probe current depends not only upon plasma parameters but also
defined boundary and beyond which plasma is undisturbed by the on the mechanism of plasma production. In spite of difficulties,
presence of the probe. Electric field produced by the difference Langmuir probe has an advantage on the other techniques that it
between the potential of probe and plasma potential is limited to can make local measurements whereas other diagnostics viz.
the volume inside the boundary of probe sheath [21,22]. The probe spectroscopy or microwaves propagation provides average
current density, probe current, electron temperature and electron measurements over a large volume of plasma. Biasing voltage is
density obey the Maxwellian distribution [9]. This study may be almost negligible as compared to plasma potential thus it is said
extended for further investigation on electrons. that the probe exhibits localized behavior. Fig. 1 shows typical
probe I–V-characteristics curve [9,22]. ‘Vs’ is called space potential
1.1. Langmuir probe theory or plasma potential. The negatively charged particles migrate to
probe due to lesser masses and are collected by probe. For positive
A Langmuir probe is employed to determine plasma parameters probe voltage of the plasma, electrons accelerate towards the probe
like electron temperature, electron density, and plasma potential at and ions are repelled. Thus a sheath formed, around tip of probe, is
constant or time-varying electric potential. Electromagnetic forces very thin, and very small electric field is formed to make the plasma
control dynamical behavior of plasma. The probe is biased for undisturbed. For negative probe potential ions accelerate that
various positive or negative voltages relative to plasma, and the causes the electron current to fall. At ‘Vf’ all the electrons, except
current collected by probe, provides the information about plasma whose flux is equal to the flux of approaching ions, are repelled. For
Fig. 2. (a) Biasing circuit for Langmuir probe; (b) schematic of experimental setup [9,21].
982 K.A. Bhatti et al. / Vacuum 84 (2010) 980–985
Cu -15
Zn -10
1.6x10-5
Ag 9.00E+017 -5
1.4x10-5 Cd +5
Pt 8.00E+017 +10
1.2x10-5 Au +15
7.00E+017
3
Probe Current Ip (A)
8.0x10 -6 5.00E+017
4.00E+017
6.0x10-6
3.00E+017
4.0x10-6
2.00E+017
2.0x10-6
1.00E+017
0.0
0.00E+000
-2.0x10-6 -1.00E+017
-30 -20 -10 0 10 20 30 30 40 50 60 70 80
Biasing Voltage (V) Atomic Number
Fig. 3. Probe I–V-characteristics curve. Fig. 5. Electron density vs atomic number for different biasing voltages.
-15 -15
-10 -10
1.6x10 6 6.00E+010
-5 -5
+5 +5
1.4x10 6 +10
+10 5.00E+010
+15 +15
6
1.2x10
Electron Temperature (K)
4.00E+010
1.0x10 6
8.0x10 5 3.00E+010
5
6.0x10
2.00E+010
4.0x10 5
2.0x10 5 1.00E+010
0.0
0.00E+000
30 40 50 60 70 80
30 40 50 60 70 80
Atomic Number
Atomic Number
Fig. 6. Plasma frequency vs atomic number for different biasing voltages.
Fig. 4. Electron temperature vs atomic number for different biasing voltages.
Table 2
Electron temperature vs atomic number for different biasing voltages.
Table 3
Electron density vs atomic number for different biasing voltages.
Table 4
Frequency vs atomic number for different biasing voltages.
h i1=2
lD ¼ 30 kTe =e2 ne (5)
Te ¼ ½eVa =kT=ln Ip =I0 (2)
where Te is electron temperature; e, charge on electron; Va, applied where lD is the Debye length [9,21].
voltage; k, is Boltzmann constant; Ip, probe current. 3
The electron density is given by the following relation [21]: ND ¼ ne 4=3plD (6)
The present paper reports an investigation plasma electron
ne ¼ I0 =Ae½me =230 kTe (3)
behavior emitted from different metal targets (Cu, Zn, Cd, Ag, Pt &
where ‘ne’ is the electron density; A, area of the probe; me, mass of Au) irradiated by Nd:YAG laser using self fabricated Langmuir probe
electron; 3o, permittivity of free space; and Te, the electron as electrostatic diagnostic to study the local behavior of electrons at
temperature. a distance 1 mm from target surface.
Plasma frequency is given by [9]:
2. Experimental setup
h i1=2
up ¼ ne e2 =30 me (4)
4 N pure transition metal targets (Cu, Zn, Cd, Ag, Pt & Au) are
where up is the plasma frequency. irradiated by Nd:YAG laser (1064 nm, 10 mJ, 1.1 MW) in eight ports
The Debys length is given by the following equation [21]: stainless steel vacuum chamber under vacuum w103 torr. Laser
(of spot size and power density at the focus are 12 mm and
3 1015 W/m2, respectively) is tightly focused at an angle 45 on
target materials by using IR Plano convex lens of focal length 10 cm
to produce plasma. The self fabricated Langmuir probe made up of
-15
copper and tungsten was used. The time resolved voltage signals
-10
9.0x10 -4 -5 -15V
+5 1.70E+026 -10V
8.0x10 -4 +10 1.60E+026 -5V
+15 1.50E+026 +5V
-4
7.0x10 1.40E+026 +10V
No. of particles in Debye's length
1.30E+026 +15V
-4
6.0x10 1.20E+026
Debye's length (m)
1.10E+026
5.0x10 -4 1.00E+026
9.00E+025
4.0x10 -4 8.00E+025
7.00E+025
3.0x10 -4 6.00E+025
5.00E+025
2.0x10 -4 4.00E+025
3.00E+025
1.0x10 -4 2.00E+025
1.00E+025
0.0 0.00E+000
-1.00E+025
-1.0x10-4 30 40 50 60 70 80
30 40 50 60 70 80 Atomic Number
Atomic Number
Fig. 8. Number of particles in Debye length vs atomic number for different biasing
Fig. 7. Debye length vs atomic number for different biasing voltages. voltages.
984 K.A. Bhatti et al. / Vacuum 84 (2010) 980–985
Table 5
Debye length vs atomic number for different biasing voltages.
were stored on 200 MHz (UNI T UTT 2202) digital storage oscillo- higher ionization energy and has small number of electron in
scope. The biasing circuit and schematic of experimental setup of plasma plume as compared to Cd and Ag. Although, the Cu metal
Langmuir probe is shown Fig. 2(a, b). has small ionization energy yet it has 3d10, 4s1 electronic configu-
ration, it has smaller number of electrons for conduction as
3. Results and discussion compared to Cd and Ag. Pt and Au have little higher ionization
energy as compared to Cd and Ag but large surface binding energy
Characteristics of the laser induced plasma strongly depend on [33]. The large probe current of Au may also due to having electric
irradiation conditions and emitted electrons [2,9,21]. Plasma configuration 5d10, 6s1. So, it can lose electrons more easily than Pt
expansion obeys fluid dynamics and forward-peaking phenomena which has configuration 5d9, 6s1. This shows metals with inter-
[23]. mediate atomic number (Cd, Ag) and possessing less surface
The plasma produced, in the region of electron emission beam binding energy have more electrons than metals with smaller (as
relaxation is subsonic in ambient gas at higher pressure, whereas in Cu, Zn) and larger (as Pt, Au) atomic number. The floating potential
vacuum, it behaves like supersonic due to the absence of collisions is negative for all the targets. In general the over all trend of all the
between plasma ejectants and ambient gas molecules. The hydro- curves is sigmoid.
dynamic propagation of ionization is due to production of elastic According to Eq. (2) electron temperature depends on the probe
waves in vacuum [4,24–28]. current. Fig. 4 illustrates the electron temperature verses atomic
Different plasma parameters may be calculated by varying number (z) of target metals for various applied voltages corre-
electrical biasing [29–31]. sponding to values given in Table 2 by using relation (2). Curves in
Child’s Langmuir law is used for calculation of nonlinear probe Fig. 4 show that electron temperature is higher for metals having
current (Eq. (1)). Probe current for metal targets (Cu, Zn, Cd, Ag and large surface binding energies and also has large temperature
Au) has been calculated for different biasing voltages by using values for negative applied potential. This is because only higher
relation (1) are given in Table 1. energetic electrons are able to reach probe [33]. It is obtained form
Generally, probe potential decreases with the decrease in the figure that for metals having low value of surface binding
biasing potential [9]. This could be due to the reduction in positive energy the electron temperature is less and almost same for all
sheath of ions as more electrons reach the probe tip, thus biasing voltages. Only cadmium metal has large value of electron
neutralizing the ions. The electronic peak increases because new temperature at þ15 V biasing voltage.
primary electrons are further produce electrons. Thus multiplica- The electron temperature for metals Cd, Ag and Au rises with
tion of electrons occurs. An increase in the biasing potential causes increase in biasing voltage form 5 V to þ15 V, while for metals Cu, Zn
an increase in the number of electrons collected by the probe tip and Pt there is a fall in electron temperature with increase in biasing
[21,30]. voltage. The metals having small value of surface binding energy is
Fig. 3 shows a comparison of I–V-curves for all target metals higher as compared to metals with larger surface binding energy [33].
corresponding to data given in Table 1. All the I–V-curves for metals Figs. 5 and 6 show the curves of electron density and plasma
have some trend with floating potential in the same region. The frequency respectively corresponding to values given in Tables 3
probe electronic current is maximum for Cd metal followed by that and 4, respectively for different biasing voltages. The values of
of silver and gold metals. Whereas the probe current for metals Cu, electron density and temperature have been evaluated by using
Zn and Pt is small and lay in same region. This higher electronic relations (3) and (4), respectively. Curves in both graphs show
probe current for metals Cd, Ag and Au is due to small surface monotonically decreasing and then increasing trend, the metals
binding energy in comparison with metals Cu, Zn and Pt [17,32,33]. with large value of temperature have small values of electron
The values of floating potential are positive which is in agreement density and plasma frequency in particular region and metals with
with the theoretical prediction of positive floating potential [32,33]. small values of electron temperature have high density which is in
The curves from 10 V to þ30 V shows the probe electronic agreement with previous result [9]. Eq. (3) shows that electron
current. There is a little variation in the values of probe current for density is inversely proportional to the square root of electron
applied voltage for all the target metals. Also other metal like Zn has temperature [31–35].
Table 6
Number of particles in Debye length vs atomic number for different biasing voltages.
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