Frequency Effects on Hollow Cathode Discharges

Micro-hollow cathode devices have been used for many applications such as lighting and material processing. When operated in pulsed mode, some of the problems associated with arcing have been reduced . In this work, a series of micro-hollow cathodes are operated in repetitive pulsed mode. The repetition rate is varied from 10 kHz to 100 kHz, with a fixed duty cycle of 50%. Results have been investigated when applying a square wave to the electrodes in the test chamber. The experiment is conducted in air at 10 to 50 Torr. Voltage and current characteristics are discussed and plasma characteristics are presented.