Abstract
Nonequilibrium argon plasma flows in a circular tube were generated by an electrodeless discharge at the conditions of low input powers (30-70W)and low pressures (0.27-1.33kPa). Electron current was collected by an unsymmetric double probe and analysed to obtain electron temperature and electron density by taking account of non-MAXWELL electron energy distribution and the reflection of electrons on probe surface. Radiative properties of the plasmas were measured spectroscopically to examine electronic excitation nonequilibrium and the effect of non-MAXWELL electrons.
The generated plasmas were found to have electron temperature of 3-4×104K and electron density of -1011 cm-3 and to be extremely in thermo-chemical nonequilibrium. It is emphasized that the consideration of non-MAXWELL electrons is important in the interpretation of the characteristic of collected electron current and the radiative properties of plasmas.
