PLASMA GENERATION IN A LOW-PRESSURE HOLLOW-CATHODE NON-SELF-SUSTAINED GLOW DISCHARGE

摘要

Research on a hollow-cathode non-self-sustained glow discharge demonstrates the feasibility of discharge operation at pressures from 0.1 Pa. Depending on experimental conditions, the discharge operating voltage can reach ～50 V, which is much lower than that of a self-sustained glow discharge in the same electrode system. The discharge current can range up to 30 A. The working gas is Ar, N_2, and N-based gas mixtures. Probe measurements of the discharge plasma show that the electron temperature varies between 1.5 and 7 eV, depending on the pressure of gas and its kind, and the plasma density can reach 10~(11) cm~(-3) at 15-A currents. Nitriding in the discharge plasma at 600℃ for 2 h made it possible to increase the hardness of Ti (VT1-0) 3.5 times and that of 12Cr18Ni10Ti three times, with a modified layer depth of 35 μm.