Kinetic theory of a gas-discharge positive column and wall sheath

The positive column and wall sheath in a gas discharge are studied with all owance for ion collisions in a plasma and ion reflection from a solid surfa ce under conditions of incomplete ion neutralization, The kinetic equation for ions in a positive column is reduced to a Fredholm equation of the seco nd kind. This makes it possible to solve the kinetic equation using a resol vent and thereby derive a single integrodifferential equation for the poten tial, which is referred to as a generalized plasma-sheath equation. Specifi c versions of the plasma-sheath equation are obtained that take into accoun t charge exchange of the lans in a plasma and the thermal spread in velocit ies of the ionization-produced ions. (C) 2000 MAIK "Nauka/Interperiodica".