Date of Award

Spring 5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Electrical & Computer Engineering

Program/Concentration

Electrical and Computer Engineering

Committee Director

Shirshak Dhali

Committee Member

Chunqi Jiang

Committee Member

Linda Vahala

Committee Member

Sanjeevi Chitikeshi

Abstract

Nonthermal plasma generation is an important area of research that has many applications ranging from semiconductor production to medical applications including the treatment of cancers and sterilization of surfaces. Specific radicals and excited species and discharge powers are critical for the successful completion of these processes. It is important that these excited species are shown to be achievable for a given discharge system without leading to instabilities such as arcing.

The present thesis details the design, fabrication, testing, and analysis of a novel plasma generation system based on multiphase excitation. As predicted by theory, the experimental results demonstrate that a stable plasma can be generated using a rotating electric field. Results show that the average power of the discharge is directly proportional to the electric field rotational frequency and voltage drop across the discharge medium and is inversely proportional to discharge medium gas pressure. In addition, using spectroscopical tools, specific electron impact excitations are identified within the generated plasma. The intensity of the identified emissions (corresponding to plasma species concentration) are investigated relative to gas pressure, voltage drop across the discharge medium, and electric field rotational frequency. The relative concentration of specific plasma species is directly or inversely proportional to gas pressure, voltage drop across discharge medium, and electric field rotational frequency depending on the plasma species being observed.

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DOI

10.25777/qhy3-bp39

ISBN

9798379734503

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