Cathode sheath and hydrogen Balmer lines modelling in a micro-hollow gas discharge

Abstract

We present a model of the cathode sheath (CS) processes responsible for the broadening of the hydrogen Balmer beta line recorded from a micro-hollow gas discharge (MHGD) and used for simultaneous diagnostics of plasma and CS parameters. The MHGD was generated in a microhole (diameter 100 μm at narrow side and 130 μm at wider side) of a gold-alumina-gold sandwich in the pressure ranges: (100-900) mbar in argon with traces of hydrogen, and (100-400) mbar in pure hydrogen. The electron number density is determined from the plasma broadened line width of the central part of Balmer beta profile, while the average value of electric field strength in the CS and the CS thickness are determined from the extended line wings induced by the dc Stark effect.