The theory of the positive column including space-charge effects

Abstract

The theoretical treatment of a positive column using fluid equations to describe the ion motion and including ion inertia is extended to the case where quasi-neutrality is not assumed. Calculations have been performed in the approximation of electron temperature large compared with ion temperature. The range of discharges from collisionless to collision-dominated and from quasi-neutral to freely-diffusing can then be treated. Charged-particle, ion-velocity and potential distributions have been obtained.