A two-dimensional model of dc glow discharges

A two-dimensional self-consistent analysis of a dc glow discharge is presented. The model is based on a macroscopic description of the electron and ion kinetics coupled with Poisson’s equation for a given set of boundary conditions. This numerical method has been used to analyze the basic properties of a dc glow discharge, with a particular emphasis on radial effects. It is shown that the radial electric field at the plasma-sheath boundary tends to draw electrons towards the center of the negative glow and positive ions away from it; the stability of the discharge in the normal regime is due to this radial electric field. A quantitative and self-consistent study of the transition between the normal and abnormal regimes of a dc glow discharge is presented.