Parallel operation of microhollow cathode discharges
- Old Dominion Univ., Norfolk, VA (United States). Physical Electronics Research Lab.
The dc current-voltage characteristics of microhollow cathode discharges has, in certain ranges of the discharge current, a positive slope. In these current ranges it should be possible to operate multiple discharges in parallel without individual ballast, and be used as flat panel excimer lamps or large area plasma cathodes. In order to verify this hypothesis they have studied the parallel operation of two microhollow cathode discharges of 100 {micro}m hole diameter in argon at pressures from 100 Torr to 800 Torr. Stable dc operation of the two discharges, without individual ballast, was obtained if the voltage-current characteristics of the individual discharges had a positive slope greater than 10 V/mA over a voltage range of more than 5% of the sustaining voltage. Small variations in the discharge geometry generated during fabrication of cathode holes or caused by thermal effects during discharge operation are detrimental to parallel operation. Varying the distance between the discharges from twice the hole diameter to approximately five times did not affect the parallel operation. The total current was always slightly larger than the sum of the currents measured for the individual discharges, indicating coupling between the two discharges. In order to obtain parallel operation even for microhollow cathode geometries with large variations, they have studied the effect of distributed resistive ballast on the operation of such discharges.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE, Washington, DC (United States); Department of the Air Force, Washington, DC (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 346888
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-980601--
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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