|
|
| |
Laboratory for cold plasma laser spectroscopy, Institute of Physics, Zagreb
|
|
Research objectives:
Cold
plasmas are of interest both in fundamental research and for various
technological applications. They are reach of radicals which gives
contribution to their chemical activity and makes them as valuable
sources of new molecular species and nano-particles and effective for
surface treatment of various materials. To fully understand and control
occurring plasma processes there is a need to characterize the plasma
content.
We study two types of cold plasmas: one induced by lasers through the
process of Laser Ablation (LA) and the other by making the
Radio-Frequency Inductively Coupled (RF-IC) discharge. We focus our
research towards formation processes of polar molecules which are
candidates for preparation as cold molecules, and various radicals
formed in oxygen, and hydrogen RF-plasmas. Simultaneous use of
complementary laser techniques such as Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy,
Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and Laser Ablation Time of Flight
Mass Spectrometry should provide advances in Plasma characterization.
By combination of laser induced plasma formation (LA) within RF IC
plasma we expect that new optimized sources of molecules could be
developed as well as new treatments of bio and nano-structured
materials.
Research methodology:
We use two main methods for preparation of plasmas laser induced plasma
(laser ablation) and low temperature non-thermal radio frequency
inductively coupled plasma. Both methods have several applications in
technological processes which enables close connection of fundamental
and applied research. These two plasmas belong to cold plasmas for
which electron temperature is below 1 eV and electron density below 1015 cm-3,
even though the laser plasma could be much more hot and dense within
first tenths of nanoseconds upon laser pulse. These plasmas are very
rich with various radicals and therefore represent chemically very
active media. For detection of particles and spectroscopical
characterization of plasmas we use several techniques such as
time-resolved optical emission and absorption spectroscopy,
time-of-flight mass spectrometry and other laser spectroscopies.
|
|