Review of glow discharge instabilities
Abstract
In a diffusion dominated discharge striations occur because excitations are reduced if the electrons can gain ionization energies in short distances and then ionize further on, but this process requires an energy transport distance Λ. This process no longer works in a recombination dominated discharge because any increase in electron density results in a decreased field and hence reduced ionization. However, if dissociative attachment is present the decreased field may result in decreased attachment and hence further increase the density, which is destabilizing. It seems that a negative differential conductivity {dJ}/{dE}, which must be stabilized externally by a series resistance, remains unstabilized internally between adjacent sections of the plasma. The negative thermal coefficient ( {∂J}/{∂T}g) p,E is always destabilizing and produces a transverse contraction unless it is neutralized by thermal conduction or electron diffusion. Recent work by Haas, Nigan and Wiegand and Douglas-Hamilton and Mani are reviewed.
- Publication:
-
Physica B+C
- Pub Date:
- March 1976
- DOI:
- 10.1016/0378-4363(76)90267-9
- Bibcode:
- 1976PhyBC..82...43A