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Plasma Physics: Theory, Methods and Applications
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Plasma Physics: Theory, Methods and Applications

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Physics General".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 September 2025 | Viewed by 5026

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Shuxia Zhao

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Physics, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024, China
Interests: to investigate the plasma with the simulation, experiment and theory

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plasma is the fourth type of mass, besides solid, liquid, and gas. It is composed of a mixture of electrons, anions, cations, neutrals, photons, etc. Electromagnetic interactions exists among plasma, e.g., the ambi-polar diffusion potential, which leads to quasi-neutral plasma. This is a weak coupling interaction. In addition, plasma has the ability to shield any charge inserted into it, i.e., the famous Debye’s shielding, which embodies the collective interaction of plasma. Moreover, when the translational speed of certain plasma species exceeds over Bolm’s velocity, the electrical neutrality is broken, and the net charge evolves self-consistently from plasma, giving the double layer, soliton, shock, and sheath structure. This is the nonlinear behavior of plasma which forms due to the strong coupling interaction.

There are two types of plasma: gaseous discharge plasma in the laboratory and astrophysics plasma in cosmic space. Many methods can be used to generate discharging plasma, e.g., direct current power source, radio frequency power source, pulse power source, hollow cathode structure, glow or arc, micro-discharge, atmospheric or low pressure, plasma jet and torch filament, dielectric barrier discharge, etc. The generated plasma is either in thermal and chemical equilibrium or not. The plasma of thermal and chemical equilibrium, i.e., arc plasma, has a high entropy value and can be used in chemical synthesis. The plasma of non-thermal and chemical equilibrium, i.e., glow plasma, has low dielectric damage and can be used as film in the deposition and etching process. Most laboratory plasmas of gaseous discharge are low-temperature plasma, except for nuclear fusion plasma. Nuclear fusion can be achieved by two means, i.e., magnetic confinement and inertial confinement, and, hence, the plasma formed is called high-temperature plasma (100 million degree Celsius). Cosmic plasma pays attention to the double layer nonlinear structure and wave dynamics of plasma and its coupling to the magnetic field.         

This Special Issue related to plasma physics is focused on the theory, method, and application of plasma. Therefore, we welcome the submission of any type of works that report on the generation of laboratory plasma, the investigation of its property by means of numerical simulation and experimental diagnostics, and the application of plasma, including both low-temperature and high-temperature plasmas. Moreover, this Special Issue is also suited for the submission of works that attempt to build relations between laboratory plasma and astrophysics plasma.

Dr. Shuxia Zhao
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • low-temperature plasma
  • thermal nuclear fusion plasma
  • film deposition and etching process
  • numerical simulation and experimental diagnostic
  • astrophysics plasma
  • thermal and chemical equilibrium

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

15 pages, 3176 KiB  
Article
Analysis of Metallic-to-Oxide Sputtering Mode Transition During Reactive Magnetron Deposition of Aluminum Oxide Coatings
by Andrey V. Kaziev, Alexander V. Tumarkin, Dobrynya V. Kolodko, Maksim M. Kharkov, Raghavendra Konaguru, Dmitry G. Ageychenkov, Nikolay N. Samotaev and Konstantin Yu. Oblov
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(8), 4305; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15084305 - 14 Apr 2025
Viewed by 269
Abstract
Direct current (DC) reactive magnetron discharge in Ar + O2 mixtures with an aluminum (Al) target was investigated. Electrical measurements of the discharge voltage and current along with the deposition rate trends observed with varying the oxygen flow rate indicated the presence [...] Read more.
Direct current (DC) reactive magnetron discharge in Ar + O2 mixtures with an aluminum (Al) target was investigated. Electrical measurements of the discharge voltage and current along with the deposition rate trends observed with varying the oxygen flow rate indicated the presence of hysteresis, typical to when using a DC power supply. The transition between metallic and oxide (compound) modes was analyzed in more detail by measuring the mass-resolved fluxes of positively and negatively charged ions together with the optical emission spectra of plasma. The dependence of constituent ion fluxes (Ar+, Ar2+, Al+, O+, O2+, O−, and O2−) on the reactive oxygen gas flow rate was revealed, indicating the transition (in 1.2–1.8 sccm O2 flow range) from a metallic regime to a poisoned regime. The optical diagnostics indicated a nonlinear hysteresis loop pattern of dependence for various constituents (ions and neutrals) of the magnetron discharge plasma. The comparison between the particle and optical measurements, though exhibiting a pronounced correlation, demonstrated individual features of both methods, which need to be taken into account when interpreting the results. The hysteresis patterns were further discussed by comparing the experimental data with the calculation results from the Berg model. An approach of adapting the model results to the case of a power-regulated magnetron power supply is expressed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Physics: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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27 pages, 15925 KiB  
Article
Temporal Stability of Modified Surfaces of Insulating HV Devices Using Atmospheric Pressure Plasma
by Roman Pernica, Miloš Klíma and Pavel Fiala
Appl. Sci. 2025, 15(6), 3245; https://doi.org/10.3390/app15063245 - 16 Mar 2025
Viewed by 226
Abstract
Plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure can be used to modify the surface electrical strength of insulators made of dielectric materials, thermosets and thermoplastics. The methodology of surface treatment by plasma discharge was published and applied to typical samples of materials with dimensions of [...] Read more.
Plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure can be used to modify the surface electrical strength of insulators made of dielectric materials, thermosets and thermoplastics. The methodology of surface treatment by plasma discharge was published and applied to typical samples of materials with dimensions of 100 × 100 mm. To make the methodological procedure for influencing and predicting the desired change in the dielectric surface industrially applicable, it was necessary to develop a diagnostics methodology for applying plasma discharge at atmospheric pressure. This method was tested on previously selected and tested types of materials on samples of two types (thermoset, thermoplastic). The effects of measuring and evaluating the RF spectrum, along with the corresponding long-term change in the surface strength Ep of the dielectric sample, were demonstrated. This work presents repeated extension tests with statistical evaluation of the effects of surface treatment of dielectric samples using a slot plasma chamber in Ar, N2 and O2 atmospheres. The surface structure was modified using precursor-free plasma discharge according to the developed methodologies with the addition of radiometric evaluation of the plasma discharge. Changes in surface properties were measured and evaluated as a function of exposure time and the stability of the modification was evaluated with a prediction of the expected long-term surface properties. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Physics: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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45 pages, 12125 KiB  
Article
Self-Coagulation Theory and Related Comet- and Semi-Circle-Shaped Structures in Electronegative and Gaseous Discharging Plasmas in the Laboratory
by Yu Tian and Shuxia Zhao
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(17), 8041; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14178041 - 8 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1196
Abstract
In this work, the two-dimensional fluid models for two types of inductively coupled plasma, Ar/O2 and Ar/SF6, are numerically solved by the finite element method. Four interesting phenomena revealed by the simulations are reported: (1) comet-shaped and semi-circle-shaped structures in [...] Read more.
In this work, the two-dimensional fluid models for two types of inductively coupled plasma, Ar/O2 and Ar/SF6, are numerically solved by the finite element method. Four interesting phenomena revealed by the simulations are reported: (1) comet-shaped and semi-circle-shaped structures in Ar/O2 and Ar/SF6 plasmas, respectively; (2) blue sheaths that surround the two structures; (3) the collapse and dispersion of semi-circle-shaped structures of certain Ar/SF6 plasma cations and anions when they are observed separately; and (4) the rebuilding of coagulated structures by minor cations in the Ar/SF6 plasma at the discharge center. From the simulation detail, it was found that the cooperation of free diffusion and negative chemical sources creates the coagulated structure of anions, and the self-coagulation theory is therefore built. The advective and ambipolar types of self-coagulation are put forth to explain the co-existence of blue sheath and internal neutral plasma, among which the advective type of self-coagulation extends the Bohm’s sheath theory of cations to anions, and the ambipolar type of self-coagulation originates from the idea of the ambipolar diffusion process, and it updates the recognition of people about the plasma collective interaction. During the ambipolar self-coagulation, each type of Ar/SF6 plasma cations and anions is self-coagulated, and the coagulated plasma species are then modeled as mass-point type (or point-charge type, more precisely). When the charge amounts of two point-charge models of plasma species with the same charge type are equal, the expelling effect caused by the Coulomb’s force of them leads to the collapse or dispersal of heavily coagulated species. The simulation shows that the lighter the species is, the easier it self-coagulates and the more difficult its coagulation is broken, which implies the inertia effect of density quantity. Moreover, the collapse of cation coagulation creates the spatially dispersed charge cloud that is not shielded into the Debye’s length, which indicates the anti-collective behavior of electronegative plasmas when they are self-coagulated. The rebuilt coagulated structure of minor Ar/SF6 plasma species at the discharge center and the weak coagulation of electrons in the periphery of the main coagulated structure that is under the coil are caused by the monopolar and spontaneous (non-advective) type of self-coagulation. The analysis predicts an intensity order of physically driven coagulation force, chemical self-coagulation force, and ambipolar self-coagulation force. The popular coagulated structure of the electronegative ICP sources is urgently needed to validate the experiment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Physics: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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27 pages, 9989 KiB  
Article
Numerical Analysis of the Breakdown Process of CF3I at Low Pressure
by Yifan Wu, Zhijiang Wang, Hao Wu and Wei Jiang
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(13), 5554; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14135554 - 26 Jun 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1340
Abstract
The breakdown of CF3I gas at low pressure is of significant importance for applications in fields such as aerospace and microelectronics. However, the DC low-pressure breakdown characteristics of CF3I remain underexplored. In this work, we utilize a one-dimensional implicit [...] Read more.
The breakdown of CF3I gas at low pressure is of significant importance for applications in fields such as aerospace and microelectronics. However, the DC low-pressure breakdown characteristics of CF3I remain underexplored. In this work, we utilize a one-dimensional implicit particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collision (PIC/MCC) algorithm to investigate the complete DC breakdown process of low-pressure CF3I. Our model accounts for ion–molecule collisions, recombination reactions, and external circuit influences. The breakdown process is delineated into three stages: before breakdown, breakdown, and after breakdown. In the before-breakdown stage, both the density and energy of particles are low. In the breakdown stage, the rapid increase in electron density and energy accelerates ionization reactions, leading to successful breakdown. The circuit behavior transitions from capacitive to resistive, sharing voltage with the external resistance. In the after-breakdown stage, continued positive ion growth leads to the formation of a thin anode sheath and a negative plasma potential. Energy production, including heating power and secondary electron emission (SEE) power, balances with energy loss through collision and boundary absorption. Specifically, 62% of the total heating power comes from positive ions, 1.5% from negative ions, and approximately 85% of electron energy is lost via boundary absorption. Finally, we compare the Paschen curves of CF3I with those of SF6, providing insights that are beneficial for the application of CF3I as an SF6 alternative. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Physics: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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15 pages, 2099 KiB  
Article
X-ray Line-Intensity Ratios in Neon-like Xenon: Significantly Reducing the Discrepancy between Measurements and Simulations
by Shihan Huang, Zhiming Tang, Yang Yang, Hongming Zhang, Ziqiang Tian, Shaokun Ma, Jinyu Li, Chao Zeng, Huajian Ji, Ke Yao and Yaming Zou
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(11), 4381; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14114381 - 22 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1135
Abstract
The X-ray spectra of L-shell transitions in Neon-like Xenon ion (Xe44+) have been precisely measured at the Shanghai Electron-Beam Ion Trap using a high-resolution crystal spectrometer. Focusing on the line-intensity ratio of the 3F {2p6-(2p51/23s1/2 [...] Read more.
The X-ray spectra of L-shell transitions in Neon-like Xenon ion (Xe44+) have been precisely measured at the Shanghai Electron-Beam Ion Trap using a high-resolution crystal spectrometer. Focusing on the line-intensity ratio of the 3F {2p6-(2p51/23s1/2)J=1} and 3D {2p6-(2p53/23d5/2)J=1} lines (3F/3D), our measurements have achieved remarkable precision improvements over the previous studies. These spectra have been simulated using the collisional-radiative model (CRM) within the Flexible Atomic Code, showing good agreement with the measurements. The previously reported discrepancies, approximately ranging from 10% to 20%, have been significantly reduced in this work to below 1.4% for electron-beam energies exceeding 6 keV and to around 7% for lower energies. Furthermore, our analysis of population fluxes of the involved levels reveals a very high sensitivity of the 3F line to radiation cascades. This suggests that the current CRM, which conventionally excludes interionic population transfer processes, may underestimate the population of the upper level of the 3F line and the cascade-related higher levels, thus explaining the remaining discrepancies. These findings provide a solid foundation for further minimizing these discrepancies and are crucial for understanding the atomic structure and plasma model of these ions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plasma Physics: Theory, Methods and Applications)
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