Destruction of Polycrystalline Silver Sulphide Electrodes in a High Voltage Nanosecond Discharge at Atmospheric Pressure

Abstract

The results of the study of the characteristics and parameters of the plasma of a high-voltage nanosecond atmospheric pressure discharge between the electrodes of the superionic conductor - silver sulfide (Ag2S) in argon are given. The discharge was ignited in argon at pressures of 13.3 - 101 kPa, the distance between the electrodes made of the polycrystalline Ag2S compound was 2 mm. Destruction of the material of the electrodes during the discharge and introduction of silver sulfide vapors into the interelectrode space occurred due to microexplosions of natural inhomogeneities on the working surfaces of the electrodes. The discharge can be used as a point ultraviolet lamp on silver atoms and ions, which emits light in the spectral range of 200 - 330 nm or as a plasma chemical reactor for the synthesis of thin films based on silver sulfide.