Theory of High-Voltage Glow Discharge with Allowance for the Thermal Emission of Electrons

• Published in: High temperature Vol. 57; no. 3; pp. 293 - 297
• Main Authors: Sapronova, T. M., Ul’yanov, K. N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01-05-2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Atoms and Molecules in Strong Fields; Classical and Continuum Physics; Current density; Current voltage characteristics; Electric fields; Electron emission; Electrons; Gas ionization; Glow discharges; High voltages; Industrial Chemistry/Chemical Engineering; Ion flux; Kinetic theory; Laser Matter Interaction; Materials Science; Neutrons; Physical Chemistry; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Plasma Investigations; Space charge; Thermal emission
• ISSN: 0018-151X; 1608-3156
• DOI: 10.1134/S0018151X19030131

A kinetic theory of high-voltage glow discharge is developed with allowance for secondary electron emission and thermal emission. Poisson’s equation is solved for the space charge layer with allowance for the ion flux from the plasma to the layer and gas ionization in the layer by electrons, ions, and fast atoms. There are potential and kinetic ejections of electrons from the cathode surface. The current–voltage characteristics are calculated, the sizes of the space-charge layer are determined, and the electric-field distributions in the layer and some other characteristics of discharge with combined emissions are obtained for different ratios of the thermal emission current density to the secondary electron emission current density. It is shown that the thermal emission significantly affects the discharge parameters.