Energy distributions of particles striking the cathode in a glow discharge

Abstract

Charge-exchange collision in the cathode fall region of an abnormal glow discharge is assumed to be the mechanism which limits the energy of the ions and generates the energetic neutrals bombarding the cathode. The model used by W. D. Davis and T. A. Vanderslice [Phys. Rev. 131, 219 (1963)] for the calculation of the ion distribution was not applied to calculate the distribution of neutrals. A transport formulation is proposed that allows the calculation of both the distributions of energetic ions and fast neutrals.