ON THE AXIAL STRUCTURE OF SURFACE-WAVE SUSTAINED DISCHARGES

The axial distribution of the electron density related to the high-fre quency field penetration in gas discharges maintained, in the diffusio n controlled regime, by ionizing surface waves is obtained on the basi s of the energy balance equations. It is shown that under conditions o f comparatively weak electron collisions, the resonance absorption of the surface wave could cause essential deviations of the axial depende nce of the plasma density from the linear one at both the end and the beginning of the discharge.