Unexpected Peculiarities of Ignition of a Self-Sustained Discharge in Crossed Electric and Magnetic Fields

Abstract

It is reported about the discovery of a double current structure upon ignition of a self-sustaining glow discharge in crossed electric and magnetic fields --- in an ExB discharge. The initial state for the first current jump is neutral gas; for the second --- plasma. The measured ignition curves and time characteristics of the process are given. The ion current was used as a parameter that made it possible to register two modes of the Ex B discharge. For the first time, a different character of discharge ignition for Penning pairs is shown. Keywords: discharge, crossed electric and magnetic fields.