Premium
Electron Energy Distribution and Optical Characteristics of a Hollow Cathode Discharge
Author(s) -
Khvorostovskaya L. E.,
Yu. Potekhin I.,
Khvorostovsky S. N.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
contributions to plasma physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1521-3986
pISSN - 0863-1042
DOI - 10.1002/ctpp.2150310511
Subject(s) - cathode , xenon , atomic physics , electron , distribution function , isotropy , materials science , physics , kinetic energy , anisotropy , electric discharge in gases , computational physics , optics , thermodynamics , chemistry , classical mechanics , quantum mechanics
Abstract A model is proposed for the formation of the electron energy distribution in a hollow cathode discharge. On the basis of this model, an integral equation has been derived to calculate the electron distribution function over the entire cathode cavity volume. The equation holds true for both the isotropic distribution, and the case when the local distribution function is anisotropic. Solutions of the kinetic equation obtained are presented, for electron energies over 2–3 eV and up to the cathode fall potential. It is shown that the electron energy distribution function in this interval determines the optical characteristics of the hollow cathode discharge. A comparison is given of the calculated and measured radiation powers for the cases of the hollow cathode discharge in xenon and carbon dioxide. The discrepancy between the theoretical and experimental data does not exceed 20%.