Regenerative Soot-V: Spectroscopy of the regenerative sooting discharges

TL;DR

This paper investigates the formation and characteristics of regenerative soot in graphite hollow cathode discharges, analyzing carbon clusters from C1 to C4300 using mass spectrometry and emission spectroscopy.

Contribution

It provides a detailed analysis of soot formation mechanisms and the influence of discharge parameters, cathode geometry, and magnetic field profiles on soot regeneration.

Findings

Mass spectrometry reveals a wide range of carbon clusters up to C4300.

Discharge parameters critically affect soot formation and recycling.

Emission spectroscopy characterizes the carbon vapor state within the source.

Abstract

The mechanisms and processes of the formation of the regenerative soot in a graphite hollow cathode discharge that produces and emits carbon clusters are presented. Mass spectrometry with a designed ExB velocity filter analyzes the entire range of the charged clusters from monatomic Carbon C1 to as large clusters as C4300. The state of the carbon vapor within the source is evaluated by using the characteristic line emissions from the carbonaceous discharge whose formative mechanisms depend upon the kinetic and potential sputtering of the sooted cathode. The carbonaceous discharge generates atomic and ionic C and its clusters Cm where m is equal to or greater than 2, noble gas metastable atoms and ions, energetic electrons and photons in the cavity of the graphite hollow cathode. The parameters of soot formation and its recycling depend critically on the discharge parameters, the geometry of the hollow cathode and 3D profile of the cusp magnetic field contours.