Balmer-beta line asymmetry characteristics in a high pressure, microwave-produced argon plasma.

This paper presents a study on the asymmetry of the Balmer H(beta) profile in plasmas produced by microwaves at high pressure with the help of some functions of asymmetry for the whole profile, as well as by means of some specific parameters characterizing only its central dip. The study shows how this asymmetry--very low in our case--depends on the electron density and flux of gases and how the existence of inhomogeneities in the plasma can affect the shape and symmetry of this line. Also, limitations on the determination of the asymmetry are pointed out and the use of this profile for plasma diagnosis is discussed.

Transverse interferometry of a hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguide.

Transverse interferometric measurements are presented of the plasma channel formed in a hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguide recently used to generate 1 GeV electrons in a laser-driven plasma accelerator for the first time. The measurements were found to be in good agreement with nonlocal thermal equilibrium simulations, but showed significant differences with the results of a quasistatic model developed by Bobrova et al. [Phys. Rev. E. 65, 016407 (2001)]. The measurements are used to determine scaling laws for the axial electron density and matched spot size of the plasma channel, enabling optimization of the channel to specific applications.

Particle-in-cell Monte Carlo simulations of an extreme ultraviolet radiation driven plasma.

A self-consistent kinetic particle-in-cell model has been developed to describe a radiation driven plasma. Collisions between charged species and the neutral background are represented statistically by Monte Carlo collisions. The weakly ionized plasma is formed when extreme ultraviolet radiation coming from a pulsed discharge photoionizes a low pressure argon gas. The presence of a plasma close to optical components is potentially dangerous in case the ions that are accelerated in the plasma sheath gain enough energy to sputter the optics. The simulations predict the plasma parameters and notably the energy at which ions impact on the plasma boundaries. Finally, sputter rates are estimated on the basis of two sputtering models.

Subnanosecond Thomson scattering on a vacuum arc discharge in tin vapor.

In a previous series of Thomson scattering (TS) experiments on an extreme ultraviolet producing vacuum arc discharge in tin vapor, background radiation emitted by the plasma was found to make measurements impossible for all parts of the discharge except the prepinch phase. To reduce the level of recorded background radiation, we have built a setup for time and space resolved subnanosecond TS. Results obtained with this new setup are presented for experiments on previously inaccessible parts of the discharge--the ignition phase, pinch phase, and decay phase. For the first two, measurements have been performed at different heights in the plasma. Electron densities for the pinch phase have been derived. For the decay phase, the electron densities confirm previous Stark broadening data. From the overall results, a more complete picture of the plasma evolution can be formed.

Comparison of experimental and simulated extreme ultraviolet spectra of xenon and tin discharges.

Xenon and tin both are working elements applied in discharge plasmas that are being developed for application in extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography. Their spectra in the 10-21-nm-wavelength range have been analyzed. A fully analytical collisional-radiative model, including departure from equilibrium due to a net ionization rate, was used to simulate the EUV spectra. Detailed Hartree-Fock calculations, using the COWAN package, were applied for determination of the energy levels and optical transition probabilities of the 8+ to 12+ ions of both elements. For the calculation of the radiation, the opacity of the plasma was taken into account. Time-resolved measurements of the spectra from ionizing phases of two different discharge plasmas were corrected for the wavelength-dependent sensitivity of the spectrometer, and compared to the results of the simulations. Fairly good agreement between the experiments and the model calculations has been found.

Numerical investigation of the discharge characteristics of the pulsed discharge nozzle.

The characteristics of the plasma generated by a pulsed discharge slit nozzle (PDN) are investigated. The PDN source is designed to produce and cool molecular ions creating an astrophysically relevant environment in the laboratory. A discharge model is applied to this system to provide a qualitative as well as a quantitative picture of the plasma. We find that the plasma's properties and behavior are characteristic of those of a glow discharge. We model the electron density and energy, as well as the argon ion and metastable atom number density. The results reveal a high abundance of metastable argon atoms in the expansion region, which is more than one order of magnitude higher than the abundance of electrons and ions. These findings confirm experimental observations, which concluded that large molecular ions are dominantly formed through Penning ionization of the neutral molecular precursors seeded in the supersonic expansion of argon gas. The simulations presented here will help optimize the yield of formation of molecular ions and radicals in the PDN source; they will also provide key physical insight into the characteristics of interstellar molecules and ions analogs in laboratory experiments.

Characterization of a vacuum-arc discharge in tin vapor using time-resolved plasma imaging and extreme ultraviolet spectrometry.

Discharge sources in tin vapor have recently been receiving increased attention as candidate extreme ultraviolet (EUV) light sources for application in semiconductor lithography, because of their favorable spectrum near 13.5 nm. In the ASML EUV laboratory, time-resolved pinhole imaging in the EUV and two-dimensional imaging in visible light have been applied for qualitative characterization of the evolution of a vacuum-arc tin vapor discharge. An EUV spectrometer has been used to find the dominant ionization stages of tin as a function of time during the plasma evolution of the discharge.

Nonlocal-thermal-equilibrium model of a pulsed capillary discharge waveguide.

Slow pulsed capillary discharges are under investigation for use as plasma channel waveguides in laser-wakefield acceleration. In this study, we present a non-local thermal equilibrium (non-LTE) plasma model with a model for the wall temperature coupled to it. This model is used to describe an example of a slow pulsed capillary discharge, and the results are compared with experimental results. The agreement is satisfactory, indicating suitability of our model. Significant deviations from LTE are found during the formation of the plasma channel. The model is also used to study the influence of the discharge current on the guiding properties. It was found that this influence is small over most of the current range that was investigated.

Collective Thomson scattering experiments on a tin vapor discharge in the prepinch phase.

Partially collective Thomson scattering measurements have been performed on a triggered vacuum arc in tin vapor, which is a candidate source of extreme ultraviolet light for application in semiconductor lithography. In this paper, results on the electron densities and temperatures are presented for the prepinch phase of the discharge. Electron densities and temperatures increase from 1 x 10(23) m(-3) to 1 x 10(24) m(-3) and from 5 eV to over 30 eV, respectively, in about 100 ns. The results are confirmed by Stark broadening data.

Stark broadening experiments on a vacuum arc discharge in tin vapor.

Pinched discharge plasmas in tin vapor are candidates for application in future semiconductor lithography tools. This paper presents time-resolved measurements of Stark broadened linewidths in a pulsed tin discharge. Stark broadening parameters have been determined for four lines of the Sn III spectrum in the range from 522 to 538 nm, based on a cross-calibration to a Sn II line with a previously known Stark width. The influence of the electron temperature on the Stark widths is discussed. Results for the electron densities in the discharge are presented and compared to Thomson scattering results.

Time-resolved pinhole camera imaging and extreme ultraviolet spectrometry on a hollow cathode discharge in xenon.

A pinhole camera, an extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrometer, a fast gatable multichannel plate EUV detector, and a digital camera have been installed on the ASML EUV laboratory setup to perform time-resolved pinhole imaging and EUV spectroscopy on a copy of the Philips EUV hollow cathode discharge plasma source. The main properties of the setup have been characterized. Time-resolved measurements within the plasma pulse in the EUV have been performed on this source. Specific features of the plasma, such as a ring shape in the initiation phase and a propagating sphere during the pinch phase, have either been discovered or confirmed experimentally. Relative populations of various ionization stages in the pinch plasma have been estimated on the basis of line intensities and calculated transition probabilities. The changes in relative line intensities of a single ionization stage can be explained by a combination of temperature and excitation/deexcitation balance effects. Experiments with argon dilution on a newer version of the source show considerable effect on the shape of the xenon EUV spectrum.

The presence but not the sequence of the N-terminal peptide in cardiac TnC is important for function.

The most diverged region of the primary amino acid sequence between cardiac (cTnC) and fast skeletal troponin C is the N-terminal ten amino acids. We report here that major changes in the primary sequence of this region in cTnC had a minimal effect on the ability of the mutant proteins to recover maximal activity in TnC-extracted cardiac and fast skeletal muscle myofibrils. However, deletion of the N-terminal nine amino acids resulted in a 60% decrease in maximal Ca(2+)-dependent ATPase activity with only a small change in the pCa50 of activation. Deletion of the N-terminal peptide did not appear to appreciably affect the Ca(2+)-binding properties of cTnC, but it did alter the interaction with hydrophobic fluorescent probes. Thus, the presence but not the sequence, of the N-terminal extension is important for the maximal activity of cTnC. The N-terminal helix may function in a relatively non-specific manner to prevent unfavorable interactions between domains in cTnC or between cTnC and other troponin subunits.

Soluble recombinant CR2 (CD21) inhibits Epstein-Barr virus infection.

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), an oncogenic herpesvirus of humans, displays selective tropism for B lymphocytes and epithelial cells. EBV tropism is thought to be determined in part by a unique host cell receptor termed CR2 (CD21). Although previous studies have demonstrated that CR2 mediates EBV binding to B cells, its role in initiating EBV infection and B-cell transformation is less certain. In the studies reported here, soluble recombinant CR2 was shown to cause substantial inhibition of EBV infection of B cells in vitro, indicating that CR2 binding initiates EBV infection. Soluble CR2 may represent a therapeutic agent for acute and chronic EBV infections in humans.