Evaluation of a Penning Mixture for Use in Plasma Adaptive Optics

This research examines the use of a Penning gas mixture in a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma device to achieve stable plasmas at high pressures. Previous research suggests increasing pressure produces a larger dynamic range of refractive index, which is favorable for adaptive optics. As the pressure increases, however, plasma generation in air soon becomes impractical due to power requirements. Penning mixtures, such as neon with a small amount of argon, feature lower breakdown voltages and stronger ionization attributed to the presence of Penning ionization. Experimental measurements of voltage, current, power, and electron density are presented for a DBD plasma chamber containing the gas mixture. Results are evaluated against a previously developed empirical model. The work further motivates the creation of a plasma adaptive optics system.