Structure and Properties of Glow Discharge in Argon With Hollow Cathode

Abstract

This paper deals with studying into the modes of burning and structure of the glow discharge with a hollow cathode and a flat anode in argon. We have demonstrated that the electron beam usually leaving the cathode cavity in a high voltage (glow mode) disappears when the anode approaches the edge of the hollow cathode. In this case the discharge is burning only on the outer surface of the cathode plates forming the cavity. The anode motion does not affect essentially the properties of the discharge burning in the hollow mode. We have obtained the axial intensity profiles of the emission lines of argon atoms and ions in the hollow and glow modes for various gas pressure and discharge current values. We have also shown that the brightest lines correspond to the transitions from 3p54p to 3p54s levels. The lines corresponding to the transitions from higher levels as well as the emission lines of argon ions possess a rather low intensity.

Glow Discharge With a Hollow Cathode in Carbon Dioxide

“…The hollow cathode discharge can exist in different modes. In the pressure range that we were studying there are glow and hollow modes [14,27] (see the corresponding photos in Fig. 2).…”

Comparing properties of dc discharges in tubes possessing a hollow cathode or anode in an undergraduate laboratory

“…A part of such a cooler may be cut and installed in the discharge chamber as shown in figure 3. In such a hollow electrode one can well observe the distribution of the discharge glow, and in contrast to other electrode shapes listed above one may perform optical studies of plasma parameters, etc [16]. One must have in mind that the larger is the distance between the plates of such an electrode the less is the gas pressure at which the hollow cathode effect with the maximum discharge current is most brightly pronounced.…”

“…One observes then the anode glow (see the photo in figure 17(a)). Not only the intense processes of excitation of molecules by electrons take place there but also their ionization (what is evident in the availability of maxima on the profiles of emission lines of atoms and ions near the edges of anode plates [16]).…”

“…In order to apply the glow discharge optimally one has to know its properties in different modes of burning (see [13][14][15][16][17]). Conventionally, the researchers have investigated the glow discharge with a cylindrical hollow cathode or a segmented one [17].…”

“…With the approach to the total coverage of the cathode surface with plasma the discharge experiences a transition to the abnormal mode with the CVC growing. The normal mode is the most clearly manifested at the sufficiently high gas pressure values (about three times above the pressure value at the breakdown (Paschen) curve minimum for the given inter-electrode distance)[39], but the careful measuring of the CVCs may also reveal the normal mode at low pressure[40]. Now let us consider the results for flat electrodes.…”