







































Highlights in Bioscience;


 
Highlights in BioScience             

ISSN: 2682-4043 

DOI:10.36462/H.BioSci.20211                                                                                                          
 

 

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Research Article 

 

 

Open Access 

 
 

 

 

 

 

1 Uzhgorod National University, st. Voloshina, 

54, Uzhhorod, 88000, Ukraine.  

 

 

Contacts of Authors  

 

 

* To whom correspondence should be 

addressed: Alexander Shuaibov 

 

Citation: Shuaibov A, Minya A, Malinina A, 

Malinin A,  Gomoki Z (2020). Synthesis of 

aluminum oxide nanoparticles in overstressed 

nanosecond discharge plasma with the ectonic 

sputtering mechanism of aluminum electrodes. 

Highlights in BioScience Volume 3. Article ID 

20211. dio:10.36462/H.BioSci.20211 

 

Received:  May 20, 2020 

 

Accepted:  July 18, 2020 

 

Published: July 27, 2020 

 
 

Copyright: © 2020 Shuaibov et al. This is an 

open access article distributed under the terms 

of the Creative Commons Attribution License, 

which permits unrestricted use, distribution, 

and reproduction in any medium, provided the 

original author and source are credited. 

 

 

Data Availability Statement: All relevant data 

are within the paper and supplementary 

materials 

 

 

Funding: The authors have no support or 

funding to report. 

 

 

Competing interests: The authors declare that 

they have no competing interests. 

Synthesis of aluminum oxide nanoparticles in overstressed 

nanosecond discharge plasma with the ectonic sputtering 

mechanism of aluminum electrodes 

 
Alexander Shuaibov

1
*, Alexander Minya

1
, Antonina Malinina

1
, Alexander 

Malinin
1
 and Zoltan Gomoki

1
 

 

Abstract 

The results of studying the conditions of synthesis and 

luminescence of aluminum oxide nanoparticles in a plasma of an 

overstressed nanosecond discharge ignited between aluminum electrodes 

at an interelectrode distance of 2 mm and air pressure in the range of 50-

202 kPa are presented. It was shown that the plasma of the investigated 

discharge is characterized by a wide luminescence band in the spectral 

range of 300–430 nm, which is associated with the formation of F and F 
+
 

centers. The research results can be used in micro-nanotechnology, 

biomedical engineering to obtain nanostructured alumina substrates, on 

which other nanodevices and films from biomaterials can be placed. The 

aim of the work was to establish the possibility of detecting small 

nanoparticles - aluminum oxide nuclei by emission spectroscopy methods 

and the synthesis of nanostructured alumina films under atmospheric 

conditions (without the use of vacuum technology) over a large area. 

        

 

Keywords: Luminescence, Nanostructures, Aluminum oxide, Nanosecond 

overstressed discharge, Argon, Air. 

 

Introduction  

The results of a study of the characteristics and kinetics of processes in a 

heterogeneous plasma based on mixed flows of a buffer gas -argon, an oxidizing 

agent (water molecules), and aluminum dustare presented by Bityurin et al. [1, 2]. 

We studied the plasma of glow and pulsed discharges, as well as a combined 

high-frequency discharge in mixtures of argon, water vapor, and aluminum dust. 

In such plasma, the gas component, liquid droplets, solids, and plasma 

simultaneously coexist. These studies are related to the search for effective and 

cheap hydrogen production technologies based on the plasma-chemical oxidation 

of aluminum in water vapor. As a result of such a stimulated process, aluminum 

dioxide is formed on the high-voltage electrode in the form of a developed scaly 

surface and thermal energy is released [1, 3]. Moreover, the price of obtaining a 

hydrogen molecule does not exceed 1.5 eV/molecule, which is much more 

economical than the hydrolysis method of producing hydrogen. It is of interest, in 

order to simplify the design of the reactor, to replace the generator of aluminum 

dust with a size of tens of microns by producing microdroplets of aluminum by 

exploding micropoints on the surface of aluminum electrodes in a strong electric 

field of a nanosecond discharge (ecton formation [4]). The electric and optical 

characteristics of a spark discharge, the current and voltage of which had an 

oscillatory shape in the microsecond range, are given in Walters et al. [5]. A 

discharge was ignited between aluminum and graphite electrodes in air and was 

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Shuaibov et al., 2020                                                                                                                                                Synthesis of aluminum oxide nanoparticles 

 

 

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investigated by time-resolved emission spectroscopy. The 

studies were conducted in the ignition mode of the discharge 

far from the overstress of the discharge gap. Pairs of 

electrode materials entered the plasma as a result of 

sputtering under the influence of a spark discharge (the 

duration of a train of current oscillations was approximately 

25 μs, and one full oscillation was 5-6 μs). 

Alumina nanopowders were synthesized by the gas-

phase method, in which a drop of molten aluminum was held 

by a high-frequency field [6]. The drop was streamlined by a 

stream of argon and oxygen, aluminum vapors were carried 

away into the colder zone, where they condense and oxidize. 

The resulting alumina powder was collected on a filter. To 

obtain nanostructured ceramics, powders with particle sizes 

of 60 and 15 nm were pressed and annealed in air. The 

luminescence of F
-
, F 

+
 centers created by oxygen vacancies 

in Al2O3 and Al2O3-C crystals was studied upon excitation 

by synchrotron radiation with an energy in the range of 3.7 - 

15 eV. At a temperature of 300 K, intense luminescence 

bands were recorded with maxima at wavelengths of 414 nm 

(F centers) and 330 nm (F
+ 

centers) when crystals were 

excited by synchrotron radiation with an energy in the range 

4.82–8.66 eV. The decay time of the luminescence of the F 
+
 

centers is 2.0–2.3 ns [7]. 

Sapphire and nanostructured ceramics have high 

thermal, mechanical, and chemical stability (the melting 

point of sapphire is 20500 C) [8]. They are also 

characterized by increased radiation resistance, which is 

important when using the appropriate substrate microcircuits 

intended for use in space and nuclear power plants. The 

luminescence of radiation-induced sapphire defects under 

the influence of a pulsed beam based on H 
+
 / C 

+
 ions with 

an energy of 300 keV was studied. It was found that, along 

with the F and F 
+
 centers, more complex aggregate centers 

of the F2 type are also observed [9]. Using a subnanosecond 

high-voltage discharge between aluminum electrodes in air, 

the atmospheric pressure aluminum plasma characteristics 

were studied with the ecton mechanism for the injection of 

aluminum vapor into the discharge gap [10]. The production 

of electrode material vapors in the form of colored plasma 

jets based on iron and aluminum vapors was most effective 

in the absence of mismatch of nanosecond voltage pulses 

and discharge gap resistance. Under these conditions, the 

deposition of structures based on atomized copper 

electrodes 1-10 in length and 1 μm in diameter was observed 

on the walls of the discharge chamber. 

Currently, there is practically no work on the 

synthesis of alumina-based nanostructures using an 

overstressed nanosecond atmospheric pressure discharge 

with an ecton mechanism [4] for the injection of aluminum 

vapor into an oxygen-containing gas plasma. The results of 

such studies of the synthesis conditions and some 

characteristics of the nanostructures of copper, zinc, and 

iron oxides are given in [11-14]. 

This study presents the results of characteristics and 

parameters of an overstressed nanosecond atmospheric 

pressure discharge in air and argon at atmospheric pressure 

between aluminum electrodes and the luminescence 

characteristics of aluminum oxide nanostructures that were 

synthesized under the conditions of this experiment. 

Materials and Methods 

Technique and experimental conditions. 

An overstressed nanosecond discharge in air and argon 

was ignited in a sealed 3-liter dielectric chamber between 

aluminum electrodes. A diagram of the discharge module 

and device for the synthesis of thin films of transition metal 

oxides is given in previous research [13-14]. The diameter 

of the cylindrical aluminum electrodes was 5 mm. The 

radius of the rounded working end of the aluminum 

electrodes was 3 mm. Air and argon pressure varied in the 

range of 50 - 202 kPa. The distance between the electrodes 

was 2 mm. Aluminum vapor was introduced into the 

discharge gap due to microexplosions of the 

inhomogeneities of the surface of aluminum electrodes in a 

strong electric field of the discharge and the formation of 

ectons [4]. To ignite the discharge, high voltage bipolar 

pulses with a total duration of 50-100 ns and an amplitude of 

± (20-40) kV were applied to the electrodes. The discharge 

was photographed using a digital camera. The distance 

between the electrodes was used as the scale for determining 

the plasma volume. At an interelectrode distance of 2 mm, 

the discharge gap was strongly overstressed. The 

nanosecond discharge at a pressure of p = 5–202 kPa was 

fairly uniform [15]. 

The voltage pulses at the discharge gap and the 

discharge current were measured using a wide-band 

capacitive divider, a Rogovsky coil, and a 6-LOR 04 wide-

band oscilloscope. The temporal resolution of this recording 

system was 2-3 ns. The pulse repetition rate varied in the 

range f = 35-1000 Hz. The plasma radiation spectra were 

recorded using an MDR-2 monochromator, an FEU-106 

photomultiplier, a direct current amplifier, and an electronic 

potentiometer. The radiation of the discharge plasma was 

analyzed in the spectral region of 200-650 nm. The plasma 

radiation registration system was calibrated by the radiation 

of a deuterium lamp in the spectral range of 200-400 nm and 

a gang lamp in the range of 400-650 nm. Oscillograms of 

radiation at the transitions of individual atoms and ions were 

recorded using an ELU 14 FS electronic linear multiplier, 

the temporal resolution of which was 1 ns. The pulsed 

electric power of an overstressed nanosecond discharge was 

determined by graphically multiplying the waveforms of 

voltage and current pulses. The time integration of the 

pulsed power made it possible to obtain energy in one 

electric pulse, which was introduced into the plasma. 



 

 

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Thin nanostructured films based on the degradation 

products of aluminum electrodes and air molecules were 

deposited during 2-3 hours of operation of the reactor on 

glass substrates that were installed at a distance of 3 cm 

from the center of the discharge gap. The resulting films 

were studied for light transmission in the visible wavelength 

range. The experimental technique and technique for 

recording the transmission spectra of synthesized films are 

described in [16]. 

Results and Discussion 

Spatial, electrical and optical characteristics 

The plasma volume depended on the repetition rate of 

voltage and current pulses and in the frequency range 10–

150 Hz, it increased from 3 to 25 mm
3
. The discharge had a 

diffuse shape in the form of a ball. The most probable 

reason for obtaining a spatially homogeneous discharge in 

atmospheric pressure gases may be the preionization of the 

discharge gap by a runaway electron beam of about 130-150 

ps duration and the accompanying X-ray radiation. It was 

shown in Beloplotov et al. [17] that even when using high-

voltage pulses with a leading edge duration of about 200 ns, 

a runaway electron beam with an intensity of only one order 

of magnitude lower than even in the same discharge at an air 

pressure of 130 kPa is formed in a discharge plasma in 

atmospheric pressure air. The most characteristic waveforms 

of voltage and current pulses for an overstressed nanosecond 

discharge between aluminum electrodes in air are shown in 

(Figure 1). 

 

 
Figure 1. Oscillograms of voltage and current pulses at an 

air pressure of 101 kPa. 

 

Due to the mismatch of the output resistance of the 

pulsed high-voltage modulator and the plasma resistance, 

the voltage pulse had the form of individual spikes with a 

duration of 5-10 ns. This mode of ignition of a 

subnanosecond high-voltage discharge between a metal 

electrode in the form of a needle and a flat metal plate (or 

grid), when the total duration of a train of 10 nanosecond 

voltage pulses was 1–1.5 μs, was used [10] to obtain plasma 

jets from a material electrodes. It is promising for applying 

thin metal films to solid substrates of finely dispersed 

powders based on electrode materials and degradation 

products of molecules of a gaseous medium. The maximum 

value of the positive and negative component of the current 

pulses reached 200 A, voltage amplitudes 30-40 kV. When 

air was replaced with argon, the form of the oscillograms 

did not change, the maximum values of the amplitude of the 

current and voltage of positive and negative polarity 

decreased, respectively, to 150 A and 15-20 kV. 

Figure (2) presents the pulsed power and energy input 

into the plasma of an overstressed nanosecond discharge in 

air per pulse. With an increase in air pressure from 50 to 101 

kPa, the maximum value of the pulsed electric discharge 

power increased from 3 to 6.5 MW, and the maximum 

energy input increased from 110 to 152.8 mJ. As the argon 

pressure increased from 50 to 101 kPa, the energy 

deposition into the plasma increased from 225.7 to 441.1 

mJ. 

 1 

 

 

 

                                                          

  2 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Figure 2. Pulsed power and energy input into a discharge per 

pulse at an air pressure of 50 kPa (1) and at an argon 

pressure of 101 kPa (2). 

 

The emission spectra of a plasma of an overstressed 

nanosecond discharge between aluminum electrodes in air 

and argon are shown in (Figures 3 and 4). The experiments 

with argon, which were carried out in the same pressure 

range as with air, were performed to demonstrate the 

absence of emission bands of nanostructures of aluminum 

oxides in an inert gas plasma (where there are no oxygen 

carrier molecules). The spectra shown in (Figures 3. and 4), 

are registered under the same conditions for the excitation of 

the discharge and under the same conditions of registration.  



 

 

Shuaibov et al., 2020                                                                                                                                                Synthesis of aluminum oxide nanoparticles 

 

 

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Figure 3. Plasma emission spectra of an overstressed 

nanosecond discharge at different air pressures (50.5, 101 

and 202 kPa). 

 

 

 1 

     

 2 

 
Figure 4. Plasma emission spectra of an overstressed 

nanosecond discharge with the interpretation of the most 

intense spectral lines and bands at an air pressure (1) and 

argon (2) of 101 kPa. 

 

Therefore, the intensities of individual spectral lines 

and bands can be compared with each other. It can be seen 

from (Figure 3 and 4) that the intensity of the glow of the 

discharge plasma in air at all pressures studied by us 

exceeds the radiation intensity of spectral lines and 

discharge bands in argon. In the emission spectra of air 

plasma with a small admixture of aluminum vapor, radiation 

was detected at the transitions of the atom and singly 

charged ions of aluminum ion, nitrogen oxide radicals and 

nitrogen molecules, as in the emission spectra of a sub-

nanosecond plasma [10]. In an argon-based discharge, 

radiation was predominantly recorded at transitions of an 

atom and an aluminum ion. The most intense spectral lines 

of an atom and a singly charged aluminum ion, which were 

manifested in the plasma emission spectra, were as follows: 

(256.8 + 257.5 + 257.5); 265.3; 394.4; 396.2 nm Al I; 

236.5; (247.5 + 247.6); 286.9; 622.6; (623.1 + 624.3) nm Al 

II. In the emission spectra of a plasma of an overstressed 

nanosecond discharge in air mixtures with an admixture of 

aluminum vapor (Figure 4), broad emission bands with 

peaks in the spectral ranges of 410–420 nm and 300–390 

nm were recorded. The highest radiation intensity of these 

bands was obtained at an air pressure of 202 kPa. In argon-

based mixtures, these bands are absent in the discharge 

emission spectra. Since a significant part of nitrogen is 

present in the air, in principle, in the discharge under study, 

the formation of inert gas nitride nanostructures is possible.  

A comparison of the broadband emission spectra of an 

overstressed nanosecond discharge with the characteristic 

emission spectra of aluminum nitride nanostructures Silvera 

et al. [18] showed that they do not correlate with each other. 

Egorov et al. [19], characteristic electroluminescence 

spectra of anodic alumina are presented. Spectra in contact 

with solutions of different electrolytes were recorded at an 

oxidation current density of 5–15 mA / cm
2
. These spectra 

had the form of wide luminescence bands in the spectral 

range with maxima for different electrolytes in the spectral 

range of 480-550 nm. Based on this, the most probable 

source of broadband plasma radiation of the discharge under 

study can be aluminum oxide nanostructures.  

Kortov et al. [6] was noted that in the 

photoluminescence spectrum of anion-defective single 

crystals and nanostructured ceramics based on aluminum 

oxide upon excitation of the corresponding samples by 

radiation with a wavelength of 205 nm, a wide emission 

band was observed with a maximum at a wavelength of 415 

nm. This band coincides with that obtained in the present 

experiment. It is interpreted as the luminescence band of F 

centers (the 1S – 3P transition with a maximum of the 

emission spectrum at an energy of 3.0 eV and a decay time 

constant of 36–40 ms)  [6, 20]. The results of studying the 

cathodoluminescence spectra of nanostructured alumina 

ceramics are also presented [6]. Cathodoluminescence was 

excited by a pulsed electron beam with a density of 1 A cm
-

2
, an energy of 180 keV and a duration of 3 ns. The 

spectrum of this cathodoluminescence was similar to the 

spectrum recorded in our experiment at air pressures of 101-

202 kPa. The main one was the emission band with a 

maximum at wavelengths of 410–420 nm (quantum energy 

3.0 eV), which was adjoined by a wider short-wave band 

with maximum quantum energies at 3.4, 3.8, and 4.3 eV  

[6].  



 

 

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The ultraviolet photo and cathodoluminescence bands 

of nanostructured alumina ceramics are associated with the 

emission of F 
+ 

centers created by oxygen vacancies and 

have a relatively short decay time (0.6–1.0 μs) [6, 20]. 

Figures (5 and 6) present characteristic oscillograms of 

plasma radiation at transitions of radicals of nitric oxide and 

a singly charged nitrogen ion. At an air pressure of 50 kPa, 

the emission of the nitric oxide radical band appears with a 

delay of about 50 ns compared with the beginning of the 

current pulse, since it takes a certain time for the formation 

of excited NO radicals in the plasma.  

The radiation pulse at the transition of the NO radical 

consisted of two maxima and had a total duration of 120–

130 ns. At large times, it is likely that the discharge turned 

into a contracted state and no emission of NO radicals was 

observed. With an increase in air pressure to 101 kPa 

(Figure 6), the pulse amplitude and the duration of the 

radiation pulse at the transition of the nitric oxide radical 

increased (Figure 6). But at the same time, the duration of 

the first radiation maximum at the transition of the nitric 

oxide radical decreased and it became more pronounced. 

The longest radiation duration was recorded at the transition 

of a singly charged nitrogen ion (approximately 350 ns), 

which is characteristic of a recombining plasma of 

nanosecond discharges in air at atmospheric pressure [21]. 

 

 
Figure 5. Oscillograms of current and radiation of the 

spectral line of a nitrogen ion 361 nm (N II) for a discharge 

in air at a pressure of 50 kPa. 

 

Transmission spectra in the visible wavelength range 

of nanostructured films based on copper and aluminum 

synthesized on a glass substrate are presented in (Figure 7). 

As can be seen from (Figure 7) the obtained film is 

characterized by weak transmission of radiation in the 

visible wavelength region. According to Gasenkova et al. 

[20], films based on nanostructured alumina ceramics are 

practically not transparent to the visible region of the 

spectrum; their transmittance begins to increase in the 

spectral range of 0.8–2.0 μm from 1-3 to 25%. 

 

1 

  

2 

 
Figure 6. Oscillograms of the emission of the band 333.5 nm 

(NO) (1) and the spectral line of a singly charged nitrogen 

ion 361 nm (N II) (2) in an overstressed nanosecond 

discharge in air (p - 101 kPa). 

 

Figure 7. The transmission spectra of films based on copper 

and aluminum in the spectral region of 350-800 nm (band 

lamp): 1 - a pure glass substrate, 2 - a nanostructured copper 

film synthesized in argon at a pressure of 101 kPa, 3 - a 

nanostructured copper oxide film synthesized in air at a 

pressure of 101 kPa, 4 - a film obtained by sputtering 

aluminum electrodes in air at a pressure of 101 kPa; the 

repetition rate of voltage and current pulses is 40 Hz, and 

the sputtering time is 3 hours. 

Plasma parameters 

The discharge plasma parameters for mixtures of 

aluminum and air vapor and aluminum and argon vapor at 

atmospheric pressure (component ratio 30 Pa: 101 kPa, 

respectively) were determined numerically and calculated as 



 

 

Shuaibov et al., 2020                                                                                                                                                Synthesis of aluminum oxide nanoparticles 

 

 

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the total integrals of the electron energy distribution function 

(EEDF) in the discharge. EEDFs were found numerically by 

solving the Boltzmann kinetic equation in the two-term 

approximation. EEDF calculations were carried out using 

the program [22]. Based on the EEDFs obtained, the mean 

electron energies, electron temperatures, electron drift 

velocities, electron densities, excitation rate constants of the 

energy levels of aluminum atoms, and specific discharge 

losses on elastic and inelastic collisions of electrons with 

atoms and molecules of both mixtures are determined 

depending on the magnitude of the reduced electric field 

(the ratio of the electric field (E) to the total concentration of 

atoms of aluminum, argon and molecules of nitrogen, 

oxygen and carbon dioxide for (N)). The variation range of 

the parameter E/N = 1-1000 Td (1 · 10
-17

 - 1 · 10
-14 

V · cm
2
) 

included the values of the reduced electric field that were 

realized in the experiment. For gas-vapor mixtures Al - Air 

and Al - Ar, these reduced electric fields were 820 Td and 

205 Td in the time ranges of 50-100 ns and 100 -480 ns of 

voltage pulses, respectively (Figure 1). The following 

processes are taken into account in the integral of collisions 

of electrons with atoms and molecules: elastic scattering of 

electrons by aluminum atoms, excitation of energy levels of 

aluminum atoms (threshold energies of 3.1707 eV, 2.9032 

eV, 4.1463 eV, 4.2339 eV, 4.1296 eV, 5.1220 eV), 

ionization of aluminum atoms ( threshold energy 6.0000 

eV); elastic electron scattering by argon atoms, excitation of 

the energy level of argon atoms (threshold energy 11.50 

eV), ionization of argon atoms (threshold energy, 15.80 eV); 

elastic scattering and excitation of energy levels of nitrogen 

molecules: rotational - threshold energy of 0.020 eV, 

vibrational (threshold energy: 0.290 eV, 0.291 eV, 0.590 

eV, 0.880 1.170, 1.470, 1.760, 2.060, 2.350; electronic: 

6.170 eV, 7.000, 7.350, 7.360, 7.800, 8.160, 8.400, 8.550, 

8.890, 11.03, 11.87, 12.25, 13.00, ionization (threshold 

energy - 15.60 eV); elastic scattering and excitation of 

energy levels of oxygen molecules: vibrational (threshold 

energies: 0.190 eV, 0.380 eV , 0.570 eV, 0.750 eV), 

electronic (threshold energy: 0. 977 eV, 1.627 eV, 4.500 eV, 

6.000 eV, 8.400 eV, 9.970 eV, dissociative electron 

attachment (threshold energy - 4.40 eV), ionization 

(threshold energy - 12.06 eV); elastic scattering and 

excitation of energy levels of carbon dioxide molecules: 

vibrational (threshold energies: 0.083 eV, 0.167 eV, 0.252 

eV, 0.291 eV, 0.339 eV, 0.422 eV, 0.505 eV, 2.5 eV ), 

electronic (threshold energy: 7.0 eV, 10.5 eV), dissociative 

electron attachment (threshold energy 3.85 eV), ionization 

(threshold energy 13.30 eV). Data on the absolute values of 

the effective cross sections of these processes, as well as 

their dependences on electron energies, were taken from the 

databases and L.L. Shimon [22-25]. Figure (8) shows the 

dependences of the mean electron energy in the plasma of 

the vapor-gas mixture Al: Air = 30: 101000 and Al: Ar = 30: 

101000 at a total pressure p = 101.030 kPa on the reduced 

electric field strength. 

 
Figure 8. Dependences of the mean electron energy in the 

plasma of a vapor-gas mixture on the reduced electric field 

strength: 1-Al - air = 30: 101000, 2-Al -Ar = 30: 101000 at a 

total pressure of p = 101.030 kPa. 

 

The mean energy of the discharge electrons for the 

vapor-gas mixture aluminum-air = 30Pa - 101 kPa almost 

linearly increases from 0.1364 eV to 16.57 eV (Figure 8 

(1)), and for the aluminum-argon mixture it also increased 

from 1.838 eV to 15.07 eV (Figure 8 (2)) with an increase 

in the reduced electric field strength from 1 Td to 1000 Td. 

At the same time, a regularity was observed in the increased 

rate of its change in the ranges of 30–80 Td and 1–30 Td for 

mixtures of the first and second, respectively. For the 

reduced electric field strength range 205 Td - 820Td at 

which experimental studies of the electric and optical 

characteristics of the discharge were carried out, the average 

electron energies varied between 5.323-13.96 eV for the 

vapor-gas mixture aluminum-air and 7.882 -13.09 for the 

mixture aluminum-argon. Their highest energies 

corresponded to the values of 62.52 eV - 249.0 eV for the 

first mixture, and for the second mixture 71.14 eV - 282.8 

eV. 

Table (1) presents the results of modeling the transport 

characteristics of electrons: mean energies in ε, temperature 

T K, and drift velocity Vdr. and electron concentration for 

two mixtures of aluminum vapor with air and aluminum 

vapor with argon. The temperature and electron drift 

velocity (Тable 1) decreases from 161936 K to 61 746.8 K 

and from 6 ∙ 10
5
 m/s to 2 ∙ 10

5
 m/s for the first mixture, and 

for the second mixture from 151844 to 91431.2 and 4 ∙ 10
4
 

to 1.4 ∙ 10
4
 when changing the reduced electric field strength 

from 820 Td to 205 Td, respectively. The values of electron 

concentration increase from 1.1 ∙ 10
20

 m
-3

 to 1.6 ∙ 10
20

 m
-3

 at 

a current density l. 02 ∙ 10
7
A/m

2
 and 5.1 ∙ 10

6
A/m

2
 on the 

surface of the electrode of the radiation source (0.196 · 10
-4

 

m
2
) for both mixtures. 



 

 

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Тable 1. Transport characteristics of electrons for the 

mixture: Al-Аir=30 Pa – 101 kPa and Al - Ar=30 Pa – 101 

kPa 

 
Mixture:  - Al-Аir=30 Pa – 101 kPa 

E/N, Td ε, eV T
0
K Vdr., m/s Ne, m

-3
 

1 0.1364 18362 6.2 10
3
 5.1∙10

21
 

97 2.672 30995,2 2.5 10
3
 1.3∙10

22
 

205 5.323 61746,8 2∙10
5
 1.6∙10

20
 

820 13.96 161936 6∙ 10
5
 1.1∙10

20
 

1000 16.57 192212 5.4∙10
4
 1.1∙10

21
 

          Mixture: Al - Ar=30 Pa – 101 kPa 

E/N, Td ε, eV T
0
K Vdr., m/s Ne, m

-3
 

1 1.838 4431 1.4∙10
5
 2.3∙ 0

20
 

97 6.795 78822 1.7∙10
4
 1.9∙10

21
 

205 7.882 91431,2 1.4∙10
4
 1,6∙10

20
 

820 13.09 151844 4 ∙10
4
 1.1∙10

20
 

1000 15.07 174812 4.8∙10
4
 1.3∙ 0

21
 

 
Figure (9) presents the dependence of the specific 

power of the discharge losses on both elastic (1, 2) and 

inelastic (3,4) collisions of electrons with mixture 

components in a gas-discharge plasma on the reduced 

electric field strength. An increase in power is observed with 

increasing values of the reduced electric field, both for 

elastic processes and for inelastic ones. In addition, higher 

values of specific power of discharge losses are observed for 

inelastic collisions of electrons with atoms and molecules in 

a mixture of aluminum and air vapors (Figure 9, Table 2). 

 

 
Figure 9. The specific discharge power for elastic (1) and 

inelastic (2) processes per unit of the total concentration of 

the mixture vs the reduced electric field strength for the 

aluminum-air mixture and for elastic (3) and inelastic (4) 

processes for the aluminum-argon mixture. 

 

Figure (10) and Table (3) present the results of numerical 

simulation of the dependence of the excitation rate constants 

of the spectral lines of aluminum atoms on the reduced 

electric field strength in mixtures of aluminum and air and 

aluminum and argon vapor for the ratio of partial pressures 

in mixtures of 30 - 101000 Pa at a total pressure of the 

mixture P = 101030 Pa. The rate constants are characterized 

by a high value, which is associated with the values of the 

absolute effective cross sections of the corresponding 

processes. In the range of reduced electric field strength 205 

Td - 820 Td, at which experimental studies of the electrical 

and optical characteristics of the discharge were carried out, 

they were in the range of k≈10
-16

-10
-15

 m
3
/s. 

Тable 2. Elastic and inelastic power loss /N (eV m
3
/s) for 

mixtures Al-Аir=30 Pa – 101 kP and Al - Ar=30 Pa – 101 

kPa 

Mixture Al-Аir=30 Pa – 101 kP 

E/N,Td Elastic, Power /N 

(eV m3/s) 

Inelastic, Power /N (eV 

m3/s) 

205 3,448E-17 4,091E-14 

820 1,290E-16 3,559E-13 

Mixture Al - Ar=30 Pa – 101 kPa 

E/N,Td 
Elastic, Power /N 

(eV m3/s) 

Inelastic, Power /N (eV 

m3/s) 

205 4,995E-17 2,535E-14 

820 9,709E-17 2,658E-13 

 

 

 
Figure 10. Dependences of the rate constants of excitation of 

the spectral lines of aluminum atoms on the reduced electric 

field strength in a plasma on a mixture of aluminum and air 

vapors: 30: 101000 Pa at a total pressure of the mixture P = 

101030 Pa and aluminum and argon 30: 101000 Pa at the 

total pressure of the mixture P = 101030 Pa : 1- λ = 396.15 

nm (Ethr. = 3.17 eV) for an aluminum-air mixture, 2-λ = 

309.27nm (E thr.  = 4.23 eV) for an aluminum-argon mixture, 

3-λ = 309.27nm (E thr.  = 4.23 eV ) for an aluminum-air 

mixture, 4-λ = 308.21nm (E thr. = 4.13 eV) for an aluminum-

air mixture. 

 



 

 

Shuaibov et al., 2020                                                                                                                                                Synthesis of aluminum oxide nanoparticles 

 

 

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Тable 3. The rate constants of the excitation of the spectral 

lines of aluminum atoms for the values of the reduced 

electric field strength in a plasma on a mixture of aluminum 

and air vapor: 30 - 101000 Pa and aluminum and argon: 30 - 

101000 Pa at a total pressure of the mixture P = 101030 Pa. 

 
Mixture Al-Аir 

Mixture 

Al-Аr 

E/N, 

Td 

λ = 396.15 

nm 

λ = 309.27 

nm 

λ = 

308.21 nm 

λ = 309.27 

nm 

205 2.51E-15 1.26E-15 8.52E-16 1.89E-15 

820 4.01E-15 1.92E-15 1.55E-15 1.98E-15 

 

Limitations methods 

To reduce the body effects and to obtain better films, 

in the future it is necessary to switch to the subnosecond 

mode of operation of the reactor with a total voltage pulse 

duration of the order of 1 ns. This will contribute to the full 

implementation of the ectonic mechanism of aluminum 

atomization and improve the control of the film deposition 

process. 

Conclusions 

Thus, it was found that a plasma of an overstressed 

nanosecond discharge between aluminum electrodes at air 

pressures of 50–202 kPa, a pulsed discharge power of 3–6.5 

MW, and an energy input of one pulse of 110–153 mJ is a 

source of electroluminescence of aluminum oxide 

nanoparticles in the form of a wide band, which is in the 

spectral range of 300-430 nm; upon deposition of 

degradation products of electrodes and air molecules in a 

plasma on a glass substrate, films based on aluminum oxides 

were obtained, which are characterized by low transparency 

in the visible region of the spectrum. 

Numerical simulation of plasma parameters in a 

mixture of aluminum and air vapor established that for the 

reduced electric field strength of 820 Td - 205 Td, at which 

experimental studies of the electric and optical 

characteristics of the discharge were carried out, the mean 

electron energies varied between 13.96 and 5.323 eV, their 

highest energies corresponded to the values of 249.0 eV - 

62.52 eV. In a mixture of aluminum and argon vapor, these 

values of the discharge parameters varied within 13.09 eV - 

7.882 eV and 282.8 eV - 71.14 eV, respectively. The 

electron concentration was 1.1 · 10
20

 m
-3

 - 1.6 · 10
21

 m
-3

 at 

current density l. 02 ∙ 10
7
A/m

2
 and 5.1 ∙ 10

6
A/m

2
 on the 

surface of the aluminum electrode (0.196 · 10
-4

 m
2
). 

The excitation rate constants of the spectral lines of 

aluminum atoms =396.15 nm, =309.27 nm, =308.21 nm 

are in the range of (4.009- 2.511) ∙ 10
-15

 m
3
/s, (1.918 - 

1.259) ∙ 10
-15

 m
3
/s, (1.553- 0. 8.52) ∙ 10

-15 
m

3
/s, (1.975– 

1.975) ∙ 10
-15

 m
3
/s, respectively. The maximum value of the 

excitation rate constant of the spectral line of aluminum 

atoms =396.15 nm was (4.009 ∙ 10
-15

) m
3
 s for the reduced 

electric field strength of 820 Td in a mixture of aluminum 

and air. 

The specific discharge power loss for inelastic and 

elastic collisions of electrons with atoms and molecules, 

which were part of the working mixtures of a gas-discharge 

plasma, per unit total concentration of the mixture increased 

with increasing reduced electric field for both inelastic and 

elastic processes. Its maximum value was for inelastic 

processes in a mixture of aluminum and air vapor was equal 

to 3.559 ∙ 10
-13 

eV m
3
/s for a reduced electric field strength 

of 820 Td. 

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Shuaibov et al., 2020                                                                                                                                                Synthesis of aluminum oxide nanoparticles 

 

 

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http://bioscience.highlightsin.org/ 

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http://www.ioffe.ru/ES/Elastic/data2.html
https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Ionization/ion_data.php?id=AlI&ision=I&initial=&total=Y
https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Ionization/ion_data.php?id=AlI&ision=I&initial=&total=Y
https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Ionization/ion_data.php?id=AlI&ision=I&initial=&total=Y

