Production of a large-volume plasma by a hot-cathode arc

Probe measurements reveal that the plasma produced by a hot-cathode arc contains two groups of electrons, with temperatures 4 and 10 eV, with a density of 10¹⁰–10¹¹ cm^–3. These electrons are distributed uniformly over a volume of 0.2 m³. The discharge voltage is found as a function of the gas pressure and the heater current. Low-temperature regimes of the deposition of TiN coatings on metals and insulators after a plasma processing of the articles are described. The design of the discharge system is discussed.Institute of High-Current Electronics, Siberian Branch, Russian Academy of Sciences. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 3, pp. 115–120, March, 1994.