Role of nonlocal ionization in formation of the short glow discharge

An analytical model for estimating basic characteristics of short (without a positive column) glow discharges is suggested that allows for electron generation both in the cathode sheath and by nonlocal ionization in the plasma negative glow. The model is based on a previously developed approach according to which the discharge gap is divided into space-charge layers and a quasi-neutral plasma. The plasma region includes part of the negative glow, Faraday dark space, and positive column (if it exists). Simple expressions for basic characteristics of the glow discharge (I–V characteristic, cathode sheath thickness, position of the point of electric field reversal, etc.) are derived, and plasma concentration distributions are presented. The results obtained in terms of our model are in good agreement with experimental data, while local approximations based on the classical Engel-Steenbeck model diverge considerably from the experiment.     

直流空心阴极放电中鞘层区电子的输运过程

采用蒙特－卡洛方法对空心阴极放电中鞘层区电子的输运过程进行了研究，电子在鞘层区被非均匀电场加速，两次碰撞之间的步长是由电子与中性粒子的碰撞频率确定。模型中三种碰撞截面积是由实验和理论数据拟合而来。研究了电子平均能量、电子密度和电离系数在径向的分布。电子能量的空间分布结果与实验很好地符合。 关键词：     

直流辉光等离子体阴极鞘层电子的输运过程

采用蒙特卡罗方法对氦直流辉光放电平板电极等离子体阴极鞘层内电子的输运过程进行了研究。利用实验数据拟合得到的电子与中性粒子的碰撞截面,计算了电子的平均能量及能量分布的空间变化,同时研究了电子的其它参数分布.     

ELECTRON DIFFUSION IN A NON-UNIFORM ELECTRIC FIELD AND A UNIFORM MAGNETIC FIELD

A Monte Carlo simulation technique has been used to model the electron transport beharlot, especially the electron diffusion motion, in the cathode fall region of a glow discharge under the influence of a non-uniform electric field and a transverse magnetic field perpen-dicular to the cathode sheath electric field. Three types of collisions (elastic, excitation and ionization) are taken into account in our model. The electron free flying time is determined by the electron-neutral atom collision frequency. We focus attention on the electron diffusion distance and velocity. The electron-neutral atom collision processes and the electron drift velocity are also studied. The results indicate that with the increase of the magnetic field the electron diffusion distance increases and the electron diffusion velocity decreases. The results Mso show that the collision processes are enhanced by the magnetic field, this is in agreement with the experimental result. However, the axial magnetic field does not affect the electron transport behavior.     

微腔等离子体放电过程的数值研究

采用2维自洽完全流体模型,数值研究了阳极为通孔的高气压微腔放电结构中等离子体参数的变化过程。模拟结果获得了当氩气压强为13.3 kPa时,放电中的电势分布、等离子体密度分布、径向电场分布和电子温度分布等重要参数的演化过程。模拟结果表明在放电过程中,阴极附近的电场由轴向电场逐步转变为径向电场,等离子体密度最大值位于放电腔中间处,并随时间推移由阳极附近向阴极附近移动,电子温度的最大值出现在阴极环形鞘层区域。     

微腔等离子体放电过程的数值研究

采用2维自洽完全流体模型,数值研究了阳极为通孔的高气压微腔放电结构中等离子体参数的变化过程。模拟结果获得了当氩气压强为13.3 kPa时,放电中的电势分布、等离子体密度分布、径向电场分布和电子温度分布等重要参数的演化过程。模拟结果表明在放电过程中,阴极附近的电场由轴向电场逐步转变为径向电场,等离子体密度最大值位于放电腔中间处,并随时间推移由阳极附近向阴极附近移动,电子温度的最大值出现在阴极环形鞘层区域。     

THEORETICAL INVESTIGATION OF ELECTRON-NEUTRAL ATOM COLLISION PROCESS AND ELECTRON TRANSPORT PARAMETERS IN DC GLOW DISCHARGE OF PLASMA WITH A TRANSVERSE MAGNETIC FIELD

A Monte Carlo simulation (MCS) technique is used to simulate the cathode sheath region of a helium dc glow discharge. In such a simulation, a nonuniform electric field and a transverse uniform magnetic field are considered. When the magnetic field intensity increases from 0 to 800 G, all types of collision considered in this paper are enhanced. This result is in agreement with the experimental result. The results also show that with the increase of magnetic field intensity, the electron transport time, the electron density increase, and the electron mean energy decreases.     

电子温度对霍尔推进器等离子体鞘层特性的影响

采用二维粒子模拟方法研究了霍尔推进器通道中电子温度对等离子体鞘层特性的影响, 讨论了不同电子温度下电子数密度、鞘层电势、电场及二次电子发射系数的变化规律. 结果表明: 当电子温度较低时, 鞘层中电子数密度沿径向方向呈指数下降, 在近壁处达到最小值, 鞘层电势降和电场径向分量变化均较大, 壁面电势维持一稳定值不变, 鞘层稳定性好; 当电子温度较高时, 鞘层区内与鞘层边界处电子数密度基本相等, 而在近壁面窄区域内迅速增加, 壁面处达到最大值, 鞘层电势变化缓慢, 电势降和电场径向分量变化均较小, 壁面电势近似维持等幅振荡, 鞘层稳定性降低; 电子温度对电场轴向分量影响较小; 随电子温度的增大, 壁面二次电子发射系数先增大后减少. 关键词： 霍尔推进器 等离子体鞘层 电子温度 粒子模拟     

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.     

Self-consistent structure of a dc discharge with a closed hall current in crossed electric and magnetic fields

A dc glow discharge with a closed Hall current in crossed electric and magnetic fields in helium is investigated. It is shown that the main features of an unmagnetized dc discharge [1] (such as the separation of the discharge into a space charge sheath and a quasineutral plasma, the formation of a cathode fall region and a negative glow, the appearance of a region with a reversed electric field producing a potential well for low-energy electrons and resulting in the formation of a Faraday dark space, and the formation of three pronounced groups of electrons in the electron distribution function) are also retained in a discharge in crossed fields. It is found that the sheath length is almost independent of the magnetic field, while the length of the negative glow region decreases appreciably with increasing magnetic field. The measured electron distribution function agrees well with the nonlocal theory, according to which the current in the Faraday dark space is carried by the intermediate electrons that are not trapped in the potential well and the energies of which are lower than the first excitation energy.     

氩气微腔放电中特性参数的数值模拟研究

本文采用二维自洽完全流体模型,针对阳极为通孔的高气压微腔放电结构,研究了微腔放电的参数特性.数值计算得到了氩气压强为100 Torr,放电稳态时的电势分布、电子数密度分布和电子温度分布等重要参数.模拟结果表明放电区存在显著的阴极鞘层结构,电子数密度的峰值达到10²⁰ m^-3,电子温度的量级为几个eV至十几eV,该结论与实验结果相一致.数值模拟合理的解释了微腔放电的基本原理. 关键词： 微腔放电 等离子体模拟 流体模型     

Modeling of the effect of a dielectric film on the electrode surface upon the discharge glow-to-arc transition

It is shown that when a dielectric film is on the cathode, the current density in the discharge sheath is raised due to the field emission of electrons from the cathode metal substrate under the effect of the electric field generated in the film by the surface charge that accumulates on it. This results in more intense cathode heating and faster glow-arc transitions.     

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

The influence of the gas flow structure in the cathode sheath of a glow discharge on the discharge stability is studied numerically. The electric parameters are calculated in a diffusion-drift model that consistently takes into account associative dissociation as an additional electron source. The model also includes equations describing both the thermal mode of the cathode and the nonequilibrium physicochemical gas dynamics of a moderately rarefied gas. It is shown that, in a pulsed discharge, the increasing branch of the current-voltage characteristic, which is associated with the gas rarefaction behind the cathode shock wave, can change to a descending branch associated with the intensification of associative ionization. This gives rise to cathode sheath instability. The results of calculations agree well with experiments.     

微空心阴极放电时空特性

为了揭示微空心阴极放电的放电机理,利用流体模型研究了矩形微空心阴极放电的时间和空间分布特性。在氩气环境下计算得到了压强为1.3104Pa时电流、电势、电场、电子和离子密度等随时间的发展变化。结果表明,整个放电过程分为四个阶段,即预放电阶段、电场由轴向向径向转换阶段、电流缓慢增长向空心阴极效应过渡阶段和稳态放电阶段。稳态放电时出现明显的空心阴极效应,阴极位降区存在很高的径向电场和较高的电子平均能量,而负辉区径向电场很弱,电子平均能量较低,电子和离子密度峰值出现在负辉区,二者数值基本相等,而在阴极位降区离子密度远高于电子密度。     

微空心阴极放电时空特性

为了揭示微空心阴极放电的放电机理,利用流体模型研究了矩形微空心阴极放电的时间和空间分布特性。在氩气环境下计算得到了压强为1.3×10~4Pa时电流、电势、电场、电子和离子密度等随时间的发展变化。结果表明,整个放电过程分为四个阶段,即预放电阶段、电场由轴向向径向转换阶段、电流缓慢增长向空心阴极效应过渡阶段和稳态放电阶段。稳态放电时出现明显的空心阴极效应,阴极位降区存在很高的径向电场和较高的电子平均能量,而负辉区径向电场很弱,电子平均能量较低,电子和离子密度峰值出现在负辉区,二者数值基本相等,而在阴极位降区离子密度远高于电子密度。     

爆炸电子发射初期阴极表面电场的研究

为了研究二极管爆炸电子发射初始阶段阴极表面复杂的物理现象及规律, 建立了由场致电子发射阴极构成的一维平板真空二极管物理模型,通过自行编程数值求解泊松方程, 考虑了发射出的电子对阴极表面电场的非线性影响,自洽模拟得到了阴极表面电场随时间的变化情况. 模拟结果表明,爆炸电子发射初期,阴极表面电场随时间的增加而呈现出不断振荡的规律, 且振荡幅度越来越小,最终到达一个稳态的值,二极管两极板之间的外加电场越大, 阴极表面稳态电场的绝对值越大;电场增强系数越大,阴极表面稳态电场的绝对值越大. 在整个时间演变过程中,阴极表面的实际电场强度决定着阴极发射的电流密度大小, 反过来阴极发射的电流密度又会影响到阴极表面的电场.     

Importance of high local cathode spot pressure on the attachment ofthermal arcs on cold cathodes

The importance of having high local cathode spot pressures for the self-sustaining operation of a thermal arc plasma on a cold cathode is theoretically investigated. Applying a cathode sheath model to a Cu cathode, it is shown that cathode spot plasma pressures ranging 7.4-9.2 atm and 34.2-50 atm for electron temperatures of ~1 eV are needed to account for current densities of 10⁹ and 10¹⁰ A·m^-2, respectively. The study of the different contributions from the ions, the emission electrons, and the back-diffusing plasma electrons to the total current and heat transfer to the cathode spot has allowed us to show the following. 1) Due to the high metallic plasma densities, a strong heating of the cathode occurs and an important surface electric field is established at the cathode surface causing strong thermo-field emission of electrons. 2) Due to the presence of a high density of ions in the cathode vicinity, an important fraction of the total current is carried by the ions and the electron emission is enhanced. 3) The total current is only slightly reduced by the presence of back-diffusing plasma electrons in the cathode sheath. For a current density j_tot=10⁹ A·m^-2 , the current to the cathode surface is mainly transported by the ions (76-91% of j_tot while for a current density j_tot = 10¹⁰ A·m^-2, the thermo-field electrons become the main current carriers (61-72% of j_tot). It is shown that the cathode spot plasma parameters are those of a high pressure metallic gas where deviations from the ideal gas law and important lowering of the ionization potentials are observed     

Investigations on ionic processes and dynamics in the sheath region of helium and hydrogen discharges by laser spectroscopic electric field measurements

Temporally and spatially resolved measurements of the electric field distribution in the sheath region of RF and dc discharges provide a detailed insight into the sheath and ion dynamics. The electric field is directly related to the sheath ion and electron densities, the sheath voltage, and the displacement current density. Under certain assumptions also the electron and ion conduction current densities at the electrode, the ion current density into the sheath from the plasma bulk, the ion energy distribution function, and the power dissipated in the discharge can be inferred. Furthermore, the electric field distribution can give an indication of the collision-induced conversion between different ion species in the sheath. Laser spectroscopic techniques allow the noninvasive in situ measurement of the electric field with high spatial and temporal resolution. These techniques are based on the spectroscopic measurement of the Stark splitting of Rydberg states of helium and hydrogen atoms. Two alternative techniques are applied to RF discharges at 13.56 MHz in helium and hydrogen and a pulsed dc discharge in hydrogen. The measured electric field profiles are analyzed, and the results discussed with respect to the ion densities, currents, energies, temporal dynamics and species composition. Received: 26 July 2000 / Accepted: 12 December 2000 / Published online: 3 April 2001     

Nonrelativistic planar double-stream equilibria in magneticallyinsulated diodes

The study of magnetically insulated electron flow is a topic of relevance to the startup state of magnetrons, cross-field amplifiers, and magnetically insulated line oscillators, as well as to the operation of magnetically insulated transmission lines and ion diodes. In a recent paper, Christenson and Lau explored double-stream equilibria in magnetically insulated diodes analytically for the case of vanishing injection electron velocities at the cathode and numerically for the case of nonzero injection velocities. Here, the analytical results are generalized to the case of nonzero injection velocities to allow the calculation of the equilibrium current density and electron sheath thickness as functions of the voltage, magnetic field, and gap width. An interesting outcome of the analysis is that it is shown that space-charge limited electron emission from the cathode is no longer possible for equilibria in which the electrons are monoenergetic with vanishing canonical momenta. In addition, for the special case of zero injection energies, but not necessarily zero electric field at the cathode, closed-form expressions are derived for the orbital quantities of the electrons-positions and velocities-as a function of time measured from the moment of emission from the cathode. Unfortunately, a spatial variation is not apparently available in closed form; however, one can express these quantities alternatively in terms of a generalized potential with an implicit spatial variation     

气体放电阴极鞘层氩离子的自洽蒙特卡罗模拟

建立了气体放电阴极鞘层离子的自洽蒙特卡罗模拟模型,考虑了离子与中性原子的电荷交换碰撞和弹性散射,用到了精确依赖于离子能量的电荷交换和动量输运截面。模拟了氩离子在阴极鞘层中的运动,得到了不同气压下自治电场分布,离子的能量分布和角分布,发现:离子由鞘层边界向阴极运动过程中,离子能量分布的高能部分逐渐增大,角分布向小角度部分压缩,鞘层中的强电场加速和聚焦了离子;在鞘层边界附近的电场呈非线性。