Voltage and cathode emission mechanisms of a magnetized, constricted, orbiting plasma in helium 6.7–850 Pa

Abstract

We present a semiquantitative description of several important properties of a magnetized cold-cathode plasma in helium over a wide pressure range 6.7–850 Pa. We focus on the ‘constricted orbiting’ mode where the plasma attaches to the cathode as a moving ‘dot’ and the voltage and rate of cathode erosion are both unusually low. We propose that the low plasma voltage and observed motion of the plasma adjacent to the cathode can be attributed to field emission as the source of electrons from the cathode, a process that is aided by the charging of an oxide film by ions. We find that the observed dependence of plasma voltage on pressure is consistent with the assumption that the axial electric field must increase in regions of strong crossed magnetic field to maintain current continuity.