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Research on the optical parameters of the plasma of a nanosecond capillary discharge in a gas mixture of argon and helium was presented in the spectral range of 2–10 nm. Dependences of the intensity of the glow of the emission spectra of the plasma on the gas pressure are obtained, and the possibility of obtaining a soft X-ray beam with a low divergence is shown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents numerical characterization of a recently developed compact soft x-ray source based on a nanosecond electric discharge in a gas-filled capillary. When operated in CO2 and Ar:He mixture, the source is capable of producing line radiation in wavelength ranges corresponding to the carbon (4.5–5.0 nm) and water (2.3–4.4 nm) transparency windows. Experimentally obtained trends in emission properties are analyzed using a two-temperature magnetohydrodynamic model, which utilizes mean ion approximation for calculation of basic properties of multicomponent plasma. Spatiotemporal distributions of plasma parameters were obtained for a range of gas pressures corresponding to the studied experimental conditions of the soft x-ray source. Peak values of electron density and electron temperature were analyzed and used to interpret the experimentally obtained trends in dependence of the source operation on inlet gas pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents results of numerical investigation of a large-volume plasma source based on a DC discharge with gridded anode. Geometry and configuration of the electrodes were chosen so as to ensure the formation of a cathode sheath, which would accelerate electrons up to high energies and inject them into the post-anode space and create plasma. Simulations were carried out using a hybrid model, and distributions of the main discharge parameters were obtained in a wide range of currents. At low currents, cathode sheath occupies whole interelectrode gap while plasma is formed in the post-anode space. It is shown that ions moving through the anode grid into the interelectrode gap cause reduction of discharge voltage when compared to the case of classical obstructed discharge with virtually closed anode grid. At higher currents, however, plasma is formed within the interlectrode gap as well, and ions moving from plasma in the post-anode space become trapped by reversed electric field. This essentially nullifies influence of the post-anode plasma on discharge properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a 1D model of a direct current glow discharge based on the solution of the kinetic Boltzmann equation in the two-term approximation. The model takes into account electronelectron coulomb collisions, the corresponding collision integral is written in both detailed and simplified forms. The Boltzmann equation for electrons is coupled with continuity equations for ions and metastable atoms and the Poisson equation for electric potential. Simulations are carried out self-consistently for the whole length of discharge in helium (from cathode to anode) for cases p=1 Torr, L=3.6 cm and p=20 Torr, L=1.8 mm, so that pL=3.6 cm.Torr in both cases. It is shown that simulations based on the kinetic approach give lower values of electron temperature in plasma than fluid simulations. Peaks in spatial differential flux corresponding to the electrons originating from superelastic collisions and Penning ionization were observed in simulations. Different approaches of taking coulomb collisions into account give significantly different values of electron density and electron temperature in plasma. Analysis showed that using a simplified approach gives a non-zero contribution to the electron energy balance, which is comparable to energy losses on elastic and inelastic collisions and leads to significant errors and thus is not recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]