Physical processes in hollow cathode discharge sources.

Abstract

The hollow cathode is an effective source of dense, low energy plasma. Hollow cathodes find use in ion beam sources for laboratory and space applications. They can also be used independently for satellite charge control, and ion beam neutralization. A heaterless hoi -low cathode design was tested with argon gas used as a propellant. This thesis work inve -stigated the device properties, that is, the emission currents as a function of discharge current, propellant flow rate and other physical parameters. Starting behavior was a main point of the investigation. The results of these experiments were compared with studies of the conventional hollow cathode.