Study of the dark phase in the initial stage of the positive column formation in a neon glow discharge

Journal Article · Wed Feb 15 04:00:00 EST 2006 · Plasma Physics Reports

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1134/S1063780X06020140· OSTI ID:21080635

Dyatko, N A ^[1]; Latyshev, F E; Mel'nikov, A S ^[2]; Napartovich, A P ^[1]

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1. Troitsk Institute for Innovation and Thermonuclear Research (Russian Federation)
2. St. Petersburg State University, Fock Research Institute of Physics (Russian Federation)

The initial stage of the positive column formation in a neon glow discharge is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. A decrease in the plasma radiation intensity (the so-called 'dark phase') was observed experimentally over a time period of about 1 ms. A similar dip was also observed in the time dependence of the electric field strength. The measured population of the lower metastable states of Ne was found to have a maximum at the beginning of the dark phase. A relevant theoretical model has been developed and used to perform calculations for the actual experimental conditions. A comparison between the numerical and experimental results shows that the model adequately describes the processes that occur during the formation of the positive column in a neon glow discharge. Experimental and theoretical studies show that the dark-phase effect is related to the excessive amount of metastable Ne atoms at the beginning of a discharge and, accordingly, to the high rates of stepwise ionization and chemionization.

• OSTI ID: 21080635
• Journal Information: Plasma Physics Reports, Journal Name: Plasma Physics Reports Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 32; ISSN PPHREM; ISSN 1063-780X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ATOMS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
GLOW DISCHARGES
IONIZATION
METASTABLE STATES
NEON
PLASMA
POSITIVE COLUMN
TIME DEPENDENCE