Optogalvanic Measurement of the Electric Field inside the Cathode Fall Region of Neon Hollow Cathode Discharge

Abstract

Radial distribution of the electric field in the cathode fall region of neon hollow cathode discharge has been derived through the observation of the linear Stark effect of the nd′ ( n = 10–12)-3 p′[½]1 transitions by two-step optogalvanic spectroscopy. The field strength was found to decrease monotonically from the cathode to the negative glow. The depth of the cathode fall region was 0.80 ± 0.05 mm, and the electric field at the cathode surface was 5.2 ± 0.2 kV/cm*—values which compare with the reported values of around 3–4 mm and 3–4 kV/cm in the cathode fall region of Ne glow discharge. The difference and similarity in the values of derived parameters are discussed.