A comparison between RF-driven single and double cathode structures

Experimental results are presented for the electron density, bias voltage, and dark space size surrounding a 18-cm-diameter cathode situated in the centre of a 30-cm-diameter, 30-cm-long glass vacuum chamber, containing low-pressure argon. The cathode is a single aluminium plate to which can be added another plate situated at various distances from the first and electrically connected to it. The effect of the second cathode is to dramatically reduce the self-bias on the driven cathode and considerably increase the luminosity: The plasma density increases but at a significantly smaller rate.