Oscillating Glow Discharge Plasma

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The plasma potential, electron temperature, and electron concentration have been measured as functions of both time and position in the positive column of an argon glow discharge with moving striations using a plane circular probe 0.25 mm in diameter that could be saturated in the electron collecting region. It is found that (1) the radial distribution of charge is that predicted by the ambipolar diffusion theory, (2) in each cycle, close to the time of the negative striation, the potential at all points in the positive column decreases sharply, (3) no increase in electron concentration occurs at the time of the negative striation. It is concluded that the positive striations move from anode to cathode as a result of ionization in front of the charge maximum combined with diffusion and drift of the charges radially and longitudinally. When the ionization function necessary to produce the observed striation motion is calculated from the observed charge concentrations, it is found to agree closely with the observed light emission of the discharge.