Pulsed low-pressure wire discharge
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A pulsed low-pressure wire discharge was studied experimentally. One can clearly distinguish at least three very different phases in the discharge development. During the breakdown lag the ionization takes place principally near the wire anode. The cathode secondary emission under ionic bombardment begins to play a (minor) role throughout the low-current non-steady-state phase since the cathode sheath is not yet formed. Once the sheaths are formed, the hollow-cathode discharge develops. The stability of a hollow-cathode discharge with an immersed small-size wire anode was analyzed. It is shown that the ratio of electrode surfaces S{sub cathode}/S{sub anode} necessary for uniform discharge formation depends on secondary emission yield, the nature of gas, and anode geometry. If the stability condition is violated, a double anode sheath appears and discharge becomes unstable.
- OSTI ID:
- 20879975
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 100, Issue 3; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2219154; (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0021-8979
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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