Predicted Properties of Cylindrical Microhollow Cathode Discharges in Helium Using a Two-Dimensional, Self-Consistent Fluid Model

In this paper, a numerical simulation model was developed to simulate the helium plasma in a cylindrical Microhollow cathode based on a two-dimensional, time-dependent and self-consistent fluid model. The aim of our work is to provide estimates of the main discharge and plasma parameters and to help understand the basic mechanisms governing the MHCD devices. Accurate solutions of the continuity equations, electron energy balance equation and possion's equation with realistic boundary conditions are obtained. Realistic discharge characteristics are simulated, which are very important to understand the phenomena of microhollow cathode discharge (MHCD). The results show that there exists a hollow cathode effect in the discharge process. He electric field is mainly a radial field close to the cathode in the discharge area. The influences of gas pressure and cathode dimension on discharge characteristics were also investigated (© 2009 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)