An investigation of a Cd-Ne afterglow plasma

An investigation in the afterglow of a Cd-Ne positive column at low and int ermediate pressure is presented. The model is based on numerical solution o f the time-dependent Boltzmann equation and a system of particle balance eq uations for the electrons, excited atoms and ions. By this model all discha rge properties of interest (electron energy distribution function, electron and ion densities and the populations of both Cd and Ne excited states) ar e calculated in the afterglow. The populations of the excited Cd (5p(3)P(0, 1,2)) atoms are measured using time-resolved optical absorption spectroscop y. The electron density is derived by probes measurements. Model prediction s are in fair agreement with measured electron density and excited-state po pulations. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.