The development of plasma sources and their characterization is also linked to basic research activity on electrical discharges in gases. PLASMAPROMETEO is also involved in the formation of experimental plasma physicists through the Plasma Physics Laboratory courses at the graduate level included in the university curricula. Laboratory devices are also employed to perform basic research activity. They include a few small vacuum chambers hosting different kinds of radio-frequency low-pressure driven discharges and a glass tube, capable to sustain DC glow discharges.
In particular, problems like the nature of diffusion in electronegative plasmas, the measurement of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) in SF6 cold plasmas [1] and the observation of glow discharge spectra through optical emission spectroscopy (OES) have been studied.

For, instance, the formation of striations and heterogeneities under suitable conditions is shown in the figures.

» Further information is available in papers published in scientific and popular reviews:

[1] “Experimental study and simulations of electronegative discharges at low pressure”

C.Riccardi, R.Barni, M.Fontanesi,

Journal of Applied physics , 90 (8) 3735-3742 (2001)