Eur. Phys. J. D 60, 601-608 (2010)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2010-00272-7

Integrated micro-plasmas in silicon operating in helium

¹ GREMI, CNRS/University of Orleans, 14 rue d'Issoudun, BP 6744, 45067 Orléans Cedex 2, France
² Plasma Science and Applications Laboratory, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 W. Campbell Road, RL10, Richardson, TX, 75080-3021, USA

Corresponding author: ^a remi.dussart@univ-orleans.fr

Received: 27 May 2010
Revised: 17 August 2010
Published online: 29 October 2010

Abstract

Microplasma arrays operating in helium in a DC regime have been produced in silicon microreactors. Cathode boundary layer (CBL) type microdevices were elaborated using clean room facilities and semiconductor processing techniques. Ignition of the micro-discharge arrays having either 50 or 100 μm diameter cavities was studied. Two different structures (isotropically etched or anisotropically etched cavity) and various conditions (the two different voltage polarities, pressures etc.) were investigated. 100 microdischarges of 50 μm diameter could be ignited in parallel at 1000 torr. At high current, some parasitic and transient sparks appeared at the edge of the sample. When the polarization was reversed (cathode side corresponding the opened electrode), more current was needed to light all the microdischarges. A thermally affected zone around the hole on the anode side was obtained after operation.