Influence of discharge conditions on energetic hydrogen atoms in a glow discharge

Influence of discharge conditions on fast hydrogen atoms in glow discharge is investigated using Balmer alpha emission spectroscopy. Investigation was performed in two orthogonal directions of observation in pure hydrogen. The shapes of the profiles are examined together with the space intensity distribution of the excessively broadened Balmer alpha line. It was found that line profile, space intensity distribution, and energy distribution of exited atoms strongly depend on voltage, pressure, and the reduced electric field. This confirms that fast H atoms are generated in charge exchange processes and neutralization of ions at cathode surface and not in a non-field process. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3646499]