Cathode Region of a Steady-state Townsend Discharge in Nitrogen

Abstract

The photon flux technique has been used to study the cathode region of a steady-state Townsend discharge. Spatial variations in the radiation emitted from the C3fIu and B2.r~ states of molecular nitrogen were etected in the vicinity of the cathode for EIN"" 331 and 555 Td. In particular, the second positive emission at 337·1 nm is similar to the Holst-Oosterhuis layers observed in rare gas discharges.