High voltage breakdown in an inductively coupled ion source

An inductively coupled plasma source, designed for ion beam applications, is allowed to float up to several kilovolt positive. If one side of the radio frequency (rf) antenna is grounded and the dielectric source tube and the surrounding air are allowed to reach a threshold temperature corona breakdown at the rf antenna occurs. The experiments presented here show that a dc corona can be ignited with the presence of a dielectric barrier, which normally precludes dc breakdown. The formation of a negative barrier corona initiates a transition to a continuous arc from the rf antenna to the source tube. It is suggested that the onset of the first filaments heat the dielectric locally, such that the dielectric strength drops. DC current channels are then formed in the source tube, allowing a resistive corona with continuous arcs to exist.