Microwave-induced non-equilibrium plasmas by insertion of substrate at lowand atmospheric pressures

We found that microwave induced discharge or microwave plasma could be easi ly produced with a perovskite-type oxide substrate even at atmospheric pres sure. We investigated the plasma conditions in order to understand the plas ma generation mechanism. When pressure in the reactor was gradually increas ed, the plasma mode was changed from a diffused glow to a filamentary glow at a power of about 5.3 x 10(4) Pa. The electron density of the plasma prod uced using a substrate was higher than that of the ordinary microwave plasm a produced without the substrate. It was considered that the electron emiss ions from the substrate enhanced the plasma. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.