The dependence of normal current density on the pressure in a glow discharge in ignoble gases†

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Abstract
An experimental investigation of the dependence of normal current density Jn on the gas pressure p in a glow discharge in nitrogen N2 has been carried out. It has been established that at low enough pressures a considerable deviation of Jn (p) from the quadratic relation Jn =Ap2 can occur. It has been shown that this deviation is the result of the appearance of constricted discharge conditions. The additional investigations carried out have shown that substantial deviation of Jn (P) from the quadratic relation in the constricted discharge range is accompanied by a change of the normal cathode fall of potential Uk. n. of the average reduced field at the cathode Zk = Ek / p and of the positive ion mobility Ki when we change the pressure in this range. All those quantities are included in the expression for the coefficient A in the formula for Jn ( p)- Because of this the coefficient A appears to be also a function of the pressure in the constricted discharge range. The estimation of Jn (p) made on this basis is in satisfactory agreement with the experimental result obtained in nitrogen.