Generation of Larger Volume Glow Discharge in Microhollow Cathode Sustained Discharge with Split Third Electrodes

Enlarged-volume diffuse glow discharge at high pressures is produced by microhollow cathode sustained discharge in a split third electrode configuration. The largest span-wise expansion of the sustained glow discharge is 12 mm at 700 Torr with seven positively biased split electrodes, while with a conventional single planar third electrode the expansion is only about 2 mm. Current-voltage characteristics reveal that the whole trilayer system behaves like a normal glow discharge at third electrode currents higher than the microhollow cathode discharge current. The current distribution over the entire electrodes exhibits moderately uniform expansion in the discharge across the electrode span. (C) 2011 The Japan Society of Applied Physics