Experimental characterization of a ns-pulsed micro-hollow cathode discharge (MHCD) array in a N2/Ar mixture

An array of seven micro-hollow cathode discharges (MHCDs) operating in a N2/Ar mixture and ignited by a nanosecond pulsed high voltage is experimentally characterized in this work. Compared to other non-equilibrium discharges, high electron densities can be obtained with this type of microdischarge, and, thus, a high dissociation degree of the molecules is expected to be achieved. This is particularly suited for nitride deposition, which is the targeted application of this work, given that the atomic nitrogen density is a key parameter for this deposition process. The electrical diagnostics reveal that the energy deposited in the plasma during one voltage pulse increases with the Ar fraction in the gas mixture and the voltage pulse repetition frequency. A small effect of the repetition frequency is observed on the voltage and current characteristics of the discharge, while a significant increase in the amplitude of these two electrical parameters is observed with increasing Ar admixture. Consequently, a higher electron density is expected with increasing Ar fraction in the gas mixture and repetition frequency. Time-integrated optical emission spectroscopy is carried out to identify the excited emissive species in the plasma and to determine the time-averaged vibrational and rotational temperatures. For a discharge operating in pure N2, at a repetition frequency of 40 kHz, the time-averaged rotational temperature is found to be 390 K ± 40 K and the time-averaged vibrational temperature is 3580 K ± 200 K, revealing the non-equilibrium nature of the discharge. Both temperatures increase with the Ar fraction in the N2/Ar mixture, while they are almost independent of the repetition frequency. Finally, the different phases of the spatio-temporal evolution of the discharge are mapped using space-time resolved ICCD images. The spatial evolution of the discharge between two consecutive voltage pulses can be decomposed in four phases, corresponding to the different stages of the temporal evolution of the discharge voltage.