Characteristics of radio-frequency capacitively coupled plasma with dielectric electrode for mercury-free lamp

Abstract

The influence of electrode material on plasma characteristics had been investigated for mercury-free fluorescent lamp. In this experiment, the breakdown voltage and plasma density are examined at electrode materials such as aluminum, magnesium oxide and SrTiO3 using argon and neon gases. It results that the breakdown voltage decreased with increasing gas pressure from 0.1 to 1.25Pa, and the discharge voltage for neon is higher than one for argon at both electrodes. It was found that the plasma density estimated from the ion saturation current increased with increasing gas pressure at both gases.