Time evolution of hollow cathode ionization processes in the final breakdown phase of a transient hollow cathode discharge

Author

Zambra, Marcelo ; Favre, Mario ; Moreno, José ; Chuaqui, Hernán ; Wyndham, Edmund ; Choi, Peter

Author_Institution

Comision Chilena de Energia Nucl., Santiago, Chile

Volume

27

Issue

3

fYear

1999

fDate

6/1/1999 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

746

Lastpage

751

Abstract

The enhanced ionization processes taking place inside the hollow cathode region (HCR) of a transient hollow cathode discharge (THCD) are essential events which lead to final electrical breakdown. This ionization growth is permanently assisted by a virtual anode moving in the anode-cathode gap (A-K gap), which extends the anode potential to within the hollow cathode region. In the paper, the ionization growth inside the HCR under the enhanced field due to the close proximity of the anode potential has been studied using a statistical technique in a range of pressures, with three different cathode apertures. Statistical time distributions of an extensive experimental data set are analyzed to understand the mechanisms involved in the final stages, just before electric breakdown

Keywords

anodes; cathodes; glow discharges; ionisation; plasma diagnostics; plasma probes; A-K gap; anode potential; anode-cathode gap; cathode apertures; electric breakdown; enhanced field; enhanced ionization processes; final breakdown phase; final electrical breakdown; hollow cathode ionization processes; hollow cathode region; ionization growth; statistical technique; statistical time distributions; transient hollow cathode discharge; virtual anode; Anodes; Apertures; Cathodes; Data analysis; Discharges; Electric breakdown; Electron beams; Gaussian distribution; Geometry; Ionization;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.774678

Filename

774678