Spectral measurements of inductively coupled and helicon discharge modes of a laboratory argon plasma source

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the effects of several operational parameters in the emission spectra, in the 400–850 nm wavelength region, of a laboratory Argon plasma source. In particular, the emission spectra of the inductively coupled plasma and the Helicon plasma modes of operation were compared. Comparisons of spectra point to a significant increase in the ionization fraction of the plasma for the Helicon mode of operation. The spectral measurements allow one to determine the major trends in the plasma electron density for various parameters such as power delivered to the helical antenna, propellant mass flow rate, and applied external magnetic field intensity.Analysis of a prominent Argon single ion line, at 434.8 nm, points out that the plasma electron density increases linearly with the power delivered to the helical antenna, and that there is an optimum propellant mass flow rate for maximum ionization fraction. Additional analysis of the same line shows that above a minimum applied axial magnetic field intensity, the variation in the magnetic field strength has little effect on the plasma electron density.