Non-isothermal plasma

A glow-discharge (non-isothermal) plasma is generated in a gas by a high-frequency electric field, such as microwave (2.45 GHz), at relatively low pressure.P9] In such a plasma, the following events occur ... 

The heavier ions with their much greater inertia cannot respond to the rapid changes in field direction. As a result, their temperature and that of the plasma remain low, as opposed to the electron temperature (hence the name non-isothermal plasma). 

THE.l. I. Prigogine, Extension de I equation de Saha au plasma non-isotherme (Extension of Saha s equation to a non-isothermal plasma). Bull. Cl. Set Acad. Roy. Belg. 26, 1-11 (1940). 

Two types of plasma are currently used in CVD glow-discharge plasma (non-isothermal) and arc plasma (isothermal). Their characteristics are summarized in Table 5.3 and are described in more detail in the following sections. 

Plasma Type Non-Isothermal (non-equilibrium) Isothermal (equilibrium)... 

Vepfek, S. A Theoretical Approach to Heterogeneous Reactions in Non-Isothermal Low Pressure Plasma. 56, 139-159 (1975). 

A plasma is an efficient way to dissociate gas molecules to produce non-equilibnum concentrations of gas-phase species, such as the high concentrations of atomic hydrogen needed for diamond growth. Plasmas can be generated by a number of energy sources (microwave, radio-frequency, or direct-current electric fields), and can be either cold (non-isothermal, or nonequilibrium plasmas) or hot (isothermal, or equilibrium plasmas). The major characteristics of these plasmas are summarized in Table 3. 

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