Microwave discharge as a remote source of neutral oxygen atoms

The late flowing afterglow of an oxygen plasma was used as a remote source of neutral oxygen atoms. Plasma was created via a microwave discharge in a narrow quartz glass tube with an inner diameter of 6 mm at powers between 50 W and 300 W. The tube was connected to a wider perpendicular tube with an inner diameter of 36 mm. The density of neutral oxygen atoms was measured in the wide tube about 70 cm from the discharge using a classical nickel catalytic probe. The oxygen atom density as a function of gas pressure had a well-defined maximum. The oxygen atom density can be as large as 11 × 1020 m-3. At the lowest power tested (50 W), the maximum was obtained at a pressure of about 30 Pa. However, at higher powers, the maximum shifted to higher pressures. As a result, at 300 W the maximum appeared at 60 Pa. The results can be explained through collision phenomena in gas phase and surfaces in both discharge and flowing afterglow regions, and strong pressure gradients along the narrow tube.