Estimating the parameters of a positive column of the halogen-containing glow discharge at moderate pressures

Abstract

The methodical recommendations for estimating the plasma parameters of an electronegative glow discharge containing halogens at moderate pressures (up to 40 Torr) with the use of simple analytic formulae and without numerical modeling are given. The initial data are easily measureable discharge parameters such as a discharge current, a voltage and a gas mixture pressure and composition as well. It is shown how one can easily consider such important plasma features as non-Maxwellian electron energy distribution function and halogen molecules dissociation by electron impact. As a result, such plasma parameters as the absolute degree of electronegativity, the value of border coordinate between ion–ion and electron–ion plasmas, and the forms of transversal profiles of electron and negative ion concentrations can be evaluated. The comparison of the results with the ones given by a global numerical model shows the suitability of said analytic approach to estimate plasma parameters of real discharges.