The model of internal column of hollow cathode vacuum discharge

Author

Krouchinin, Anatoli M. ; Sawicki, Antoni

Author_Institution

Inst. of Electrotechnol., Tech. Univ. of Czestochowa, Poland

Volume

29

Issue

3

fYear

2001

fDate

6/1/2001 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

424

Lastpage

429

Abstract

Analyzes the characteristics of rarefied, nonequilibrium-state plasmas in the internal column of a hollow cathode discharge (HCD). The analysis is based on the theory of plasma disintegration in a strong electric field (Dreicer 1959, 1960). It is demonstrated that this process has a crucial influence upon the forming of directed flux of electrons with energy values 20-30 eV at the exit of the hollow cathode. The obtained values significantly exceed the energy of thermal motion of electrons in the plasma disintegration zone. A new method is suggested of calculating electron density and electric field intensity in respect to the axis of the internal column in the channel model of the discharge. In addition, a method is presented of calculating the length of the internal column and the energy of the directed electron flux at the exit of the hollow cathode on the basis of HCD fundamental parameters

Keywords

electron density; glow discharges; plasma density; plasma devices; plasma diagnostics; plasma transport processes; 20 to 30 eV; channel model; crucial influence; directed electron flux; electric field intensity; electron density; energy values; fundamental parameters; hollow cathode; hollow cathode discharge; hollow cathode vacuum discharge; internal column; plasma disintegration; plasma disintegration zone; rarefied nonequilibrium-state plasmas; strong electric field; thermal motion; Cathodes; Electrons; Furnaces; Heating; Plasma density; Plasma devices; Plasma properties; Plasma temperature; Tungsten; Vacuum technology;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.928939

Filename

928939