Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Some basic points about normal cathode fall in a glow discharge

Conference ·
OSTI ID:212821
 [1]
  1. Shenzhen Univ., Guangdong (China)
In normal glow discharge, the normal cathode fall V{sub n} from a planar electrode remains constant when discharge current varries in a certain range, even by several order of magnitude. Hittorf first observed this phenomena in the condition that the discharge does not cover the entire cathode, nor is confined to a small area in the center. As matter of fact, the normal current density at the cathode remains constant (Hehl`s law), and the area of the cathode covered by discharge is proportional to the total current. Many explanations in the literature are given from the minimum energy principle, assuming that the normal cathode fall is the least potential maintaining the necessary current through the discharge, and providing the space charge necessary for the cathode fall. So physical descriptions of the processes by which this constancy is maintained are found.
OSTI ID:
212821
Report Number(s):
CONF-950749--
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

THE POTENTIAL AND FIELD INTENSITY CURVE IN THE CATHODE FALL RANGE OF A GLOW DISCHARGE; Deutschen Akademie der Wissenschaften, Berlin
Journal Article · Tue Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1957 · Ann. Physik · OSTI ID:4319040

Laser optogalvanic and fluorescence studies of the cathode region of a glow discharge
Technical Report · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · OSTI ID:6404441

Laser optogalvanic and fluorescence studies of the cathode region of a glow discharge
Journal Article · Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1988 · Phys. Rev. A; (United States) · OSTI ID:7123692