A MICROWAVE INVESTIGATION OF SELF-QUENCHING CYLINDRICAL DISCHARGES AT LOW PRESSURES,
Abstract
The results of a theoretical and experimental investigation of self-quenching cylindrical discharges at low pressures in nitrogen and oxygen are presented. The quenching theory is based on the electric field dependence of the first Townsend coefficient and leads to an integro-differential equation of the Volterra type whose solution gives the time variation of the frequency shift of a microwave cavity housing the discharge. The measurements were carried out in a TE011 mode cavity and the advantages of this mode are discussed. Experimental values of cavity frequency shift during the quenching period are obtained and are compared with theoretical results. Formulas are derived for the electron density and percentage ionization during the quenching period of the discharge. The percentage ionization is shown to have two possible values depending on whether ions or electrons are considered. The concept of percentage ionization as a localize4 quantity is discussed as it applies to the experiment and an average percentage ionization is defined and computed. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1963
- Accession Number
- AD0422954
Entities
People
- Paul R. Caron
- Ralph D. Kodis
Organizations
- Brown University