PROPERTIES OF AN OPEN LOW-PRESSURE DISCHARGE WITH A HOLLOW-CATHODE

The characteristics of a low-pressure open discharge with a hollow cat hode were investigated experimentally. The properties of an open disch arge, as a generator of the plasma of an ion emitter, are analyzed. Th e stability of the plasma-layer system in the aperture of the extracti ng electrode is assessed numerically. It is shown that ion extraction under the conditions of a penetrating plasma is possible thanks to the plasma ''bridge'' in the aperture of the extracting electrode. The op erating parameters of an open discharge with a hollow cathode are comp ared with those of an open discharge. The condition of stability was d etermined experimentally: it depends on the ratio of the plasma radius to the radius of the aperture of the extracting electrode.