1. Instability enhanced thermalization of bi-Maxwellian EEDF in multi-dipole confined hot cathode discharge: an experimental observation.
- Author
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Jiang, Di, Yip, Chi-Shung, Jin, Chen-Yao, Zhang, Wei, Wang, Liang, and Xu, Guo-Sheng
- Subjects
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THERMAL neutrons , *HOT carriers , *ELECTRON distribution , *DISTRIBUTION (Probability theory) , *THERMAL equilibrium , *CATHODES - Abstract
In multi-dipole confined hot cathode discharges, the presence of up to three distinct electron species has been observed by performing linear fitting of the Langmuir probe I – V traces. Nevertheless, the fundamental mechanism underlying the generation of hot electrons remains ambiguous. This work presents experimental observations to comprehensively investigate the impact of the instability-enhanced thermalization effect on the thermal equilibrium of both hot and cold electrons. Temperature composition of the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) was measured via a Langmuir probe, while instabilities was measured using a spectrum analyzer. The experimental results confirm the existence of a transition from a three-temperature Maxwellian EEDF composition to a two-temperature Maxwellian EEDF composition as the population of high-energy electrons increases. Furthermore, the process of thermalization between hot and cold electrons is found to be correlated to the effect of instability-enhanced collisions. The intensity of collisional instability also decreases with increased neutral collisionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2024
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