Density of fast electrons on the Axis of a Zylindrical Hollow-Cathode Discharge

Fast electrons leaving a hollow cathode discharge axially through the orifice of a hole probe undergo ionizing collisions with the discharge gas in and behind the orifice. Ar⁺⁺ ions produced in this way are used as a monitor for the density of fast electrons, N_ef, on the axis of the negative glow of a cylindrical hollow cathode discharge. Data on N_ef as dependent on the pressure of the Ar discharge gas and on the discharge current are obtained and an analytical expression for these dependences is found and discussed.     

Some Investigations of the Ignition and Development of Breakdown in Cylindrical Hollow Cathode Glow Discharges

The breakdown behaviour of a hollow cathode glow discharge is investigated in a cylindrical, hollow cathode structure having an internal diameter of 2 cm. The anode is a plane electrode across one end of the cathode cylinder. Pressures of argon between 20 and 107 Pa were used (0.15 to 0.80 torr), and applied voltages between 800 and 2500 V. It is shown that the statistical time lag for breakdown is in the range of ～ 1 ms and depends on the applied voltage, the gas pressure, and the history of operation of the discharge tube. The rise time of the discharge current ranges from about 10 ns at high pressure and voltage to about 200 ns at the lowest pressure and voltage used. The discharge propagates along the cathode axis at a speed of about 10⁸ cm s^?1. From the obtained data, a qualitative model of the first stage of the discharge is derived. Based on this model, a simple calculation gives values of Townsend modified first coefficient η at high values of E/N, 10⁴ < E/N < 8 · 10⁴ Td which fit well at the lowest E/N, where they approach the data of PENNING and KRUITHOF in argon. In contrast to the extremely short initial current-rise times, in the submicrosecond range, the discharge currents reach steady-state values only after about 300 μs.     

Wide-aperture high-current electron beam in a discharge with cathode plasma at elevated pressure

This work pursues investigations into the discharge with a cathode plasma in a cavity one wall of which is an insulating plate with a hole D in diameter (the cavity is 0.5 or 1.5 mm wide). This discharge is thoroughly analyzed in comparison with the high-voltage hollow-cathode discharge. Owing to the reduced emission of electrons from the cathode plasma, the discharge becomes more stable against transition to the low-voltage form, as a result of which an electron beam can be generated under higher gas pressures. Such a beam formed at the entrance to the cavity is used as an auxiliary one that propagates over the remaining (flat) surface of the cathode and adds to the gas ionization. Accordingly, the beam current from the main discharge to the anode rises (high-current regime). Wide-aperture (D = 22 mm) ≈1-μs-long pulsed beams with a current an order of magnitude higher than the total current of the equivalent anomalous discharge are obtained. Experiments are carried out at a helium pressure to 20 Torr and a voltage from 1 to 20 kV.     

Effect of the gas dynamic structure of a flow on the parameters of a self-sustained discharge. II

The limiting current of a self-sustained glow discharge is calculated. Two-dimensional equations for the flow of a viscous, vibrationally nonequilibrium gas and a model of the cathode sheath are used. The validity of the approximations which form the basis of the cathode sheath model was tested with experimental data for anomalous and normal currents. The effects of laminar and turbulent gas flow and of the geometric dimensions of the channel on the limiting discharge current are examined. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 49–55 (November 1999)     

Analysis of a hollow-cathode reflex discharge in a hydrocarbon flow

Variation of parameters of a reflex discharge with a hollow cathode operating continuously in propane with a flow rate of 1.3–5.6 (m³ mPa)/s and a discharge current of 0.1–0.4 A is analyzed. It is shown that for a hydrocarbon flow rate of 2.4 (m³ mPa)/s and higher, an increase in the discharge voltage takes place after a time interval depending on the discharge current and gas pressure; this is explained by the formation of coating of the dissociation products of hydrocarbon molecules on the electrodes of the discharge chamber. An increase in the thickness of the carbon coating of the cathodes with time and their charging with ions lead to electric breakdown of coatings and the formation of cathode spots. The oscillograms of the discharge current and voltage indicate a short-term transformation of the glow discharge into the arc discharge. The energy spectra of ions emerging from the discharge are measured, and the effect of the discharge current and the gas flow rate on the energy spread of ions is analyzed. The operation time of the discharge in hydrocarbon after which the cleaning of the discharge chamber is required is determined. The possibility of using an ion source based on the reflex discharge with a hollow cathode for technological purposes is established.     

Cold-hollow-cathode arc discharge in crossed electric and magnetic fields

A crossed-field cold-hollow-cathode arc is stable at low working gas pressures of 10⁻²–10⁻¹ Pa, magnetic-field-and gas-dependent arcing voltages of 20–50 V, and discharge currents of 20–200 A. This is because electrons come from a cathode spot produced on the inner cathode surface by a discharge over the dielectric surface. The magnetic field influences the arcing voltage and discharge current most significantly. When the plasma conductivity in the cathode region decreases in the electric field direction, the magnetic field increases, causing the discharge current to decline and the discharge voltage to rise. The discharge is quenched when a critical magnetic field depending on the type of gas is reached. Because of the absence of heated elements, the hollow cathode remains efficient for long when an arc is initiated in both inert and chemically active gases.     

Current analysis of DC negative corona discharge in a wire-cylinder configuration at high ambient temperatures

To study the characteristics of DC negative corona discharge in a wire-cylinder configuration at an ambient temperature range of 350–850 °C, the I–V characteristics and the current composition are analyzed under different conditions. A simple method is proposed to determine the DC corona onset threshold voltage. At high ambient temperatures, in the DC negative corona discharge gap, some electrons are not attached to the electronegative gas molecules and move to the anode tube. Thus, these electrons form an electron current, which may account for most of the total discharging current. The ratio of the electron current to the total discharging current increases with increasing temperature. In a mixture of O₂ and N₂ and a mixture of CO₂ and N₂, the ratio of electron current increases with increasing N₂ content in the mixtures. The cathode material has little influence on the corona discharge characteristics at high ambient temperatures.     

Objektzerstäubung im Elektronen-Emissionsmikroskop in Abhängigkeit von Art und Energie der Ionen

In an emission electron microscope with ion induced electron emission the dependence of emission current and cathode sputtering under ion bombardment on discharge voltage, type of discharge gas and specimen material is measured. If high image intensity and little cathode sputtering is desired, a discharge gas of small molecular mass and high ion energies should be used. Under such conditions it is possible to observe a specimen in an emission microscope over a longer period without appreciable specimen changes due to cathode sputtering during observation.     

Gas dynamics and thermal-ionization instability of the cathode region of a glow discharge. Part I

A model of the cathode sheath of a glow discharge is developed. The model includes the equations for calculating the non-steady-state nonequilibrium physicochemical gas dynamics, cathode temperature, and electric field. The model applies to describing the flow of a viscous, heat-conducting, moderately rarefied gas at Knudsen numbers of about Kn ∼0.03. The electric field and gas density distributions are determined consistently by renormalizing the values obtained by the Engel-Steenbeck theory. A formula for calculating the time during which a homogeneous volume discharge phase exists is proposed. The formula is based on the relation between the rates of electron production via associative ionization (A+B → AB ⁺+e) and impact ionization (A2+e → A ₂ ⁺ +e+e). Calculations are carried out for nitrogen and air. It is shown that, at high current densities, due to the dissociation and strong heating of the gas, the rate of thermal ionization becomes as high as that of electrical ionization. The calculated ionization time is in reasonable agreement with the measured duration of a uniform anomalous cathode sheath.     

Improvement of the efficiency of a glow discharge-based ion emitter with oscillating electrons

Ion emission from the plasma of a low-pressure (≈5×10⁻² Pa) glow discharge with electrons oscillating in a weak (≈1 mT) magnetic field is studied in relation to the cold hollow cathode geometry. A hollow conic cathode used in the electrode system of a cylindrical inverted magnetron not only improves the extraction of plasma ions to ≈20% of the discharge current but also provides the near-uniform spatial distribution of the ion emission current density. The reason is the specific oscillations of electrons accelerated in the cathode sheath. They drift in the azimuth direction along a closed orbit and simultaneously move along the magnetic field toward the emitting surface of the plasma. A plasma emitter with a current density of ≈1 mA/cm² over an area of ≈100 cm² designed for an ion source with an operating voltage of several tens of kilovolts is described.     

Effect of cathode surface state on the characteristics of pulsed hollow-cathode glow discharges

A study is made of the effect of pulse repetition rate (0.1−10³ s⁻¹) and average discharge current (0–1 A) on the breakdown delay time and burning voltage of low-pressure glow discharges (p<0.1 Pa) in an electrode system of the reverse magnetron type with a large cathode surface area (≈10³ cm²). It is shown that increasing the repetition rate leads to a many-fold reduction in the statistical spread in the delay time and in the discharge formation time, while the average discharge current has a significant effect on the burning voltage. The mechanism for the observed phenomena is interpreted qualitatively in terms of the presence of thin dielectric films on the cathode surface. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 20–24 (May 1999)     

Small volume coaxial discharge as precision testbed for 0D-models of XeCl lasers

In order to check the predictions of 0D-models experimentally, a small coaxial discharge configuration for the generation of homogeneous high pressure glow discharges (diameter 11 mm, length 20 mm) in rare gas halogen excimer laser gas mixtures under accurately controlled conditions has been developed. It uses X-ray preionization and a special pulse-forming network (PFN) delivering fast rising (8 ns) single square pulses (U ₀=25 kV; I=300 A; =100 ns). Discharge current and voltage are measured precisely by a capacitive voltage divider and a shunt integrated into the discharge chamber. All circuit data needed for the model calculations have been evaluated. Interferometric and spectroscopic diagnostics of the bulk of the discharge and of the cathode sheath have been performed. First results for Ne/Xe/HCl mixtures are compared with model calculations.     

脉冲HF化学激光体系中的放电模式分析

采用面阵滑闪火花预电离诱导的平行板放电结构,研究了SF6-C2H6混合气体中的脉冲放电模式,确认了不同放电条件下存在自持体放电(SSVD)和电弧放电两种模式,且两种模式可以互相转化。SSVD模式放电电流波形主要由电容电压和气压决定,气体混合比和储能电容值对其影响很小。SSVD电流峰值随电容电压增加基本线性增加,随气压增加线性减小,分析表明这一特性是因为SSVD是由多个同步电子雪崩在时空上叠加而成,属于a过程主导的电子雪崩放电。     

Effect of residual gas on the ion charge distribution in vacuum arc discharge plasmas

A magnetic mass analyzer and time-of-flight mass spectrometer are used to study the effect of the pressure and type of residual gas on the ion charge distribution in the plasma of an arc discharge with a cathode spot. The possibility of ionizing a substantial fraction of the gas atoms in this type of discharge is pointed out. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 24–28 (September 1998)     

The effect of the anode dimensions on the characteristics of a hollow-cathode glow discharge

An analysis is made of the effect of the anode dimensions and the gas pressure on the possibility of achieving various conditions of burning of a hollow-cathode glow discharge (with negative or positive anode fall), and also with an anode plasma and an electrostatic double layer. Analytical relations that agree with experimental data are found for the voltage across the cathode sheath and the double layer as a function of the anode area and the pressure. Simple expressions are derived for the critical pressure below which no discharge of a particular kind is possible. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 67, 43–47 (May 1997)     

Generation of a pulsed high-current low-energy beam in a plasma electron source with a self-heated cathode

The transition of a low-current discharge with a self-heated hollow cathode to a high-current discharge is studied, and stability conditions for the latter in the pulsed–periodic mode with a current of 0.1–1.0 kA, pulse width of 0.1–1.0 ms, and a pulse repetition rate of 0.1–1.0 kHz are determined. The thermal conditions of the hollow cathode are analyzed, and the conclusion is drawn that the emission current high density is due to pulsed self-heating of the cathode’s surface layer. Conditions for stable emission from a plasma cathode with a grid acting as a plasma boundary using such a discharge are found at low accelerating voltage (100–200 eV) and a gas pressure of 0.1–0.4 Pa. The density of the ion current from a plasma generated by a pulsed beam with a current of 100 A is found to reach 0.1 A/cm². Probe diagnostics data for the emitting and beam plasmas in the electron source are presented, and a mechanism behind the instability of electron emission from the plasma is suggested on their basis.     

Discharge and emission parameters of a plasma electron source based on a discharge in crossed E × H fields with various cathode materials

The possibility of using a plasma electron source (PES) with a discharge in crossed E × H field for compensating the ion beam from an end-Hall ion source (EHIS) is analyzed. The PES used as a neutralizer is mounted in the immediate vicinity of the EHIS ion generation and acceleration region at 90° to the source axis. The behavior of the discharge and emission parameters of the EHIS is determined for operation with a filament neutralizer and a plasma electron source. It is found that the maximal discharge current from the ion source attains a value of 3.8 A for operation with a PES and 4 A for operation with a filament compensator. It is established that the maximal discharge current for the ion source strongly depends on the working gas flow rate for low flow rates (up to 10 ml/min) in the EHIS; for higher flow rates, the maximum discharge current in the EHIS depends only on the emissivity of the PES. Analysis of the emission parameters of EHISs with filament and plasma neutralizers shows that the ion beam current and the ion current density distribution profile are independent of the type of the electron source and the ion current density can be as high as 0.2 mA/cm² at a distance of 25 cm from the EHIS anode. The balance of currents in the ion source-electron source system is considered on the basis of analysis of operation of EHISs with various sources of electrons. It is concluded that the neutralization current required for operation of an ion source in the discharge compensation mode must be equal to or larger than the discharge current of the ion source. The use of PES for compensating the ion beam from an end-Hall ion source proved to be effective in processes of ion-assisted deposition of thin films using reactive gases like O₂ or N₂. The application of the PES technique makes it possible to increase the lifetime of the ion-assisted deposition system by an order of magnitude (the lifetime with a Ti cathode is at least 60 h and is limited by the replacement life of the deposited cathode insertion).     

Probe measurements in a discharge with liquid nonmetallic electrodes in air at atmospheric pressure

Discharges with liquid nonmetallic electrodes of much interest for applications are investigated. It is found that a dc discharge between two streams of tap water in air at atmospheric pressure is stable at a currentof 40≤I≤100 mA. The discharge exists in the diffuse (volume) form with a relatively low current density (∼0.2 A/cm²) and a high (above one kilovolt) voltage drop across the air gap (∼1 cm) between the water electrodes. The current density and voltage depend only slightly on the discharge current. Probe measurements show that three regions can be distinguished in the discharge: two electrode regions (1–2 mm in length) and a discharge column with a constant electric field of ≈0.8 kV/cm (i.e., E/N≈20 Td, because the gas in the discharge is heated up to 1500–2000 K). The average electric field strength near the electrodes is E≈2–3×10³ V/cm (E/N≈60–80 Td). The charged particle density in the column is n ∼ 10¹² cm⁻³. The probe measurements of n agree with the previous microwave absorption measurements. The water vapor concentration in the column is also estimated from probe measurements.     

Distribution of electron flows over the cathode surface in a discharge with oscillating electrons

The mechanisms governing the distribution of the longitudinal electron flows over the cathode surface in a discharge with oscillating electrons are studied experimentally. The influence of the discharge gap length on the magnitude and distribution of the electron flows is investigated. It is shown that intense longitudinal electron flows in a tube of diameter d _a =31 mm can form only with short anodes of length l _a =2.5–3.5 cm. The distributions of the electron current over the cathode surface at various discharge conditions are determined.     

Measurement of the gas temperature in a glow discharge by fluorescence spectroscopy

From the measurement of the distribution of sputtered iron atoms over the fine structure levels of the iron groundstate (a ⁵ D), the gas temperature of an argon glow discharge (p=1 Torr) has been derived under collision dominated conditions at distances larger than 30 mean free paths from the iron cathode.