Structure of anode sheath in self-sustaining discharge with closed electron drift

The structure of the anode sheath and the characteristics of the closed Hall current discharge occurring in plasma accelerators are investigated in the diffusion approximation. The analysis takes account of weak processes (variation of ionization frequency with electron energy, electron energy losses, presence of a detachment region at the anode). The distributions along the sheath of potential, particle densities, currents, and other parameters are obtained. The effect on the characteristics of the discharge of varying the magnetic field and the input of working substance is considered. Weak processes are shown to have a significant effect on the structure of the sheath.Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Mekhaniki i Tekhnicheskoi Fiziki, No. 2, pp. 9–16, March–April, 1976.