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

Abstract

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.