Highly Ionized Hollow Cathode Discharge

Journal Article · Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1962 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1729002· OSTI ID:4786085

Lidsky, L. M.; Rothleder, S. D.; Rose, D. J.; Yoshikawa, S.; Michelson, C.; Mackin, R. J.

A hollow cathode discharge (HCD) is described that produces a highly ionized steady-state plasma (n/sub e/ approximately 10/sup 13/ to 10/sup 14//cm/ sup 3/) at a temperature 1 to 10 ev, in a volume as large as 10/sup 4/ cm/sup 3/, with background neutral gas density approximately 10/sup 13//cm/su p 3/. The HCD is generated by the prescription gas flow (H/sub 2/, He, Ar, or N/sub 2/) 0.05 to 2 cc STP/sec through a refractory metal hollow cathode tube into a vacuum; any anode; 20 to 200 v d-c applied. An axial induction of 100 to 1000 g is used to collimate the discharge and to aid in starting by r-f excitation. The HCD runs from the cathode interior, deep enough that p/sub o/d approximately 1 cm x mm Hg. Current range is 2.0 to 300 amp. Various electrode configurations and a wide range of operating parameters are studied. The external plasdaa density and temperature are measured by Langmuir probes. A discussion is given of the confinement mechanism and of the energy balance, both in the external plasma and in the region of the cathode itself. (auth)

• Research Organization: Massachusetts Inst. of Tech., Cambridge
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-029922
• OSTI ID: 4786085
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 33, Issue 8; Other Information: Orig. Receipt Date: 31-DEC-62; ISSN 0021-8979
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

PHYSICS
ARGON
BACKGROUND
CATHODES
CONFIGURATION
CONFINEMENT
CURRENTS
DENSITY
DIRECT CURRENT
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRODES
ENERGY
EV RANGE
EXCITATION
FREQUENCY
GAS FLOW
GASES
HELIUM
HOLLOW CATHODES
HYDROGEN
INDUCTION
IONIZATION
MEASURED VALUES
METALS
NITROGEN
OPERATION
PLASMA
PROBES
RADIO WAVES
TEMPERATURE
TUBES
VACUUM
VOLUME