Stability of the low-temperature states of high-pressure microwave discharges

Abstract

Symmetric (planar, cylindrical, and spherical) models of microwave discharges in air are considered assuming that the deposited energy is removed via heat conduction. The characteristic features of spherical discharges are analyzed in detail, and the conditions for discharge stability are examined. It is shown that discharges in the low-temperature (unstable) state can be stabilized by varying the power of a feedback-controlled microwave source. © 2000 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".