Influence of Discharge Current on the Parameters of Plasma Supported by a Hollow Rectangular Cathode

In a hollow cathode discharge, the plasma glow intensity (I), the electron energy distribution function (EEDF), the electron concentration (Ne), and the average electron energy (<u>) were measured as functions of the discharge current and the measurement location. It was found that near the hollow cathode, the EEDF shape depends significantly on the discharge current. At a current of 50 mA, it exhibits a bi-Maxwellian shape. As the current increases, a local maximum appears in the EEDF, the position and amplitude of which change with increasing discharge current. These changes lead to a linear increase in the average electron energy. The electron concentration increases linearly with current changes from 50 to 200 mA, after which the value of Ne ceases to depend on the discharge current 200–450 mA. The glow intensities of individual He atomic lines have a linear dependence on the discharge current.

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