Spatiotemporal Modeling and Simulation of DC Microplasma Glow Discharges in the ZnSeAr/H2 System

Ongun E., Yücel H. H.

Inspiring Technologies and Innovations, cilt.3, ss.1-8, 2024 (Hakemli Dergi)

Özet

With their unique electrical and optical properties, microplasmas have become the focus of great interest in the broad field of plasma science and engineering in designing advanced materials and devices, including light sources, photodetectors, and microplasma field effect transistors. This conceptual research study was carried out for the numerical analyzes of gas discharge-semiconductor microplasma (GDSµP) systems in the COMSOL Multiphysics program. Plasma modeling was based on the electron energy distribution using Maxwell analytic function. Zinc selenide (ZnSe), a type II-VI compound semiconductor, was modeled as the cathode electrode with a micro-digitated electron emission surface, coupled to a micro discharge gap of unary argon (Ar) and binary argon/hydrogen (Ar/H2) gases. Bandgap tunable ZnSe has attracted the attention of researchers for various optoelectronic applications, including high-efficiency and fast-response infrared imaging devices in the near-to-mid infrared spectrum. The binary gas system consisted of argon mixed with 10% molar hydrogen. Spatiotemporal distribution patterns of the main discharge parameters were plotted across 100 µm long discharge gap of a twodimensional square chamber in gases media at 250 Torr sub atmospheric pressure. Microscale normal glow discharges were generated under electric field fed with a constant voltage of 1300 VDC in a virtual electrical equivalent circuit (EEC). GDSµP cells were simulated to explore the fast transient discharge parameters, including electron density (ED), electron current density (ECD), and electric potential (EP). It was figured out that microplasma devices combined with gas discharge-semiconductor systems can be specifically designed for infrared detector and image converter applications.