Charge densities in the electrolyte cathode atmospheric glow discharges (ELCAD)

¹ Research Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences 1525 Budapest, 114. POB 49, Hungary
² Aqua-Concorde Analytical R & D Laboratory 1145 Budapest, Bosnyák u. 11, Hungary

Corresponding author: mezeipal@szfki.hu

Received: 29 March 2007
Accepted: 21 June 2007
Published online: 8 August 2007

Abstract

In a normal and an abnormal ELCAD plasmas the density of electrons and positive ions were estimated from the earlier measured values of the cathodic current density, the cathode fall, the electric field, the length of cathode dark space, the kinetic energy, the last free path of positive ions hitting the cathode and the rate of secondary electron emission. In a normal ELCAD, the density of positive ions forming the space charge: ≈ 5.7×10¹² cm^-3, the density of positive ions hitting the cathode: n⁺ ≈ 1.1×10¹² cm^-3, the electron density at the cathode: ≈ 3.7×10¹¹ cm^-3, the electron density at the end of cathode dark space: n_e ≈ 5.7×10¹² cm^-3 and the multiplication of electron in cathode dark space M ≈ 15.3 were obtained. In an abnormal case, ≈ 2.1×10¹³ cm^-3, n⁺ ≈ 4.3×10¹² cm^-3, ≈ 3.9×10¹² cm^-3, n_e ≈ 2×10¹³ cm^-3, M ≈ 5.17 were received.