Discharge features in crossed electric and magnetic fields

Abstract

Abstract The article discusses the study of a self-sustained discharge in the plasma accelerator with closed electron drift and the anode layer. Dependencies of the density and the average energy of ions on the magnitude and direction of the magnetic field induction vector n = f(BrA ), Wav = f(BrA ) characterized by minimum and maximum values of n and Wav have been discovered. It has been determined that the most efficient and optimal modes of discharge combustion are achieved when n and Wav reach the maximum. The density rose to nopt /n ≈ 5.5, and the average ion energy increased by 1.6 times. The evidence of “breakdowns” of density upon the change in the magnetic field is provided. The concept of isomagnetic jumps for the energy spectra of ions is introduced; their evolution is traced upon the change in discharge parameters. A theoretical model establishing the mechanisms of energy gain and loss by electrons has been proposed. It determines the formation of the ion energy distribution function as well as the ion density in the discharge gap. Likewise, the model explains various dependencies of the ion density upon the growth of the magnetic field and the “breakdown effect” of the ion density.