Study of some excitation characteristics of the discharge in a hot hollow cathode

Abstract Some excitation characteristics of the discharge in a hot hollow cathode were investigated. A graphite cathode coated with evaporated films of copper, iron, manganese or titanium, and argon or helium fill gas were applied. The dependence of spectral-line intensities on fill gas pressure and discharge current were studied. At 0.4 A discharge current and various fill gas pressures, the excitation temperatures for iron, manganese and titanium were determined.