Mechanism of the Penning Discharge at Low Pressures

Journal Article · Fri Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962 · Journal of Applied Physics

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1728902· OSTI ID:4835474

Knauer, W.

Experiments were conducted using a cold-cathode Penning discharge in which the sputtering patterns, the direction of ion motion, the energy distribution of the ions, and the E x B electron rotation were studied. Below 10/ sup -4/ mm Hg the discharge consists essentially of a pronounced, rotating plasma sheath close to the anode, while most of the center portion of the discharge is depressed to near-cathode potential. At 3000 v and 2500 gauss, an average rotation frequency of the sheath of 70 Mc was observed. This corresponds to an average field strength in the sheath of 8500 v/cm. An approximate computation indicates that in the presence of fields of this magnitude, classical cross-field mobility can account for the smode currents observed. This result differs from findings at higher pressures, at which random-fieldenhanced diffusion had to be postulated to explain the large anode currents. (auth)

• Research Organization: Hughes Research Labs., Malibu, Calif.
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• NSA Number: NSA-16-022760
• OSTI ID: 4835474
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Physics, Journal Name: Journal of Applied Physics Journal Issue: 6 Vol. 33; ISSN JAPIAU; ISSN 0021-8979
• Publisher: American Institute of Physics (AIP)
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRONS
ION SOURCES
IONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MEASURED VALUES
MOTION
NUMERICALS
OSCILLATIONS
PENNING DISCHARGES
PHYSICS
PLASMA
ROTATION
SPECTRA
SPUTTERING
VACUUM