Low pressure hydrogen discharges

Abstract

This article presents a fluid-plasma model of the free-fall regime of maintenance of high-frequency discharges in hydrogen. The obtained results are for the radial profiles of the concentrations and the velocities of electrons, positive H+, H2+, and H3+ ions, negative H− ions, potential of the radial dc electric field, and electron temperature. The importance of the directed motion of the charged particles in the radial dc electric field, the negative ion behavior in the discharge, and the description of the discharge characteristics by continuous radial profiles, which smoothly cover the total cross section of discharge, are stresses. A strong impact of the negative ions on the formation of the self-consistent discharge structure is shown. The discussions are in terms of changing gas pressure and electron concentration at the discharge axis.