OPTICAL CATALYTICAL PROBE FOR MEASURING ATOM CONCENTRATIONS OF OXIGEN, NITROGEN AND HYDROGEN IN GAS OR PLASMA

摘要

The invention covers an optical catalytic probe and a method for concentration measurement of atomic oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen in plasma or gas. The measurement of concentration is based on exothermic catalytic recombination of atoms on the catalytic surface leading to the rise of catalyst temperature. The most important difference between the optical catalytic probe and the known catalytic probes is in the way of catalyst temperature measurement. In optical catalytic probe the catalyst temperature is determined by measuring the thermal radiation emitted by the catalyst. The thermal radiation is transmitted via optical fiber to a detector. This approach completely eliminates the electromagnetic interference due to plasma radio-frequency generators from the signal. For the first time, optical catalytic probes make possible real time measurements of atom concentrations in plasma which gives new opportunities for development of better plasma reactors and better material processing procedures.