Volume-Discharge Formed In Sf6 And C2h6 Mixtures Without Preionization

A new approach to obtain glow discharge in working mixtures of non-chain HF laser has been brought forward. The most advantage of the approach is without pre-ionization, so the contamination of pre-ionization will not happen and the laser equipment is compact and simple. It is found, if the cathode surface is equally rough, we can obtain uniform volume-discharge in SF6 mixtures without any pre-ionization, and dispense with uniform electric field electrode profile. The form of Self-Sustained Volume Discharge (SSVD) is a Self-Initiated Volume Discharge (SIVD). We show here the possibility of obtaining SIVD with a uniform energy deposition in a system of electrodes with non-uniform electric field. Experiments show that, with rough cathode and even anode, a volume discharge is forming in non-uniform electric-field without pre-ionization in SF6 and C2H6 mixtures. At the beginning of the discharge, many diffuse channels attached to bright circular cathode spots, then, diverge towards the anode, with the channels overlapping, form a spatially uniform glow discharge. SIVD has been performed at a total mixture pressure up to 8kPa and energy deposition up to 200J/l. We also report measurements of the V-I characteristics of SIVD with SF6 and C2H6 mixtures at pressure up to about 8kPa. The experimental results indicate that SSVD in SF6 and C2H6 mixtures develops in the form of SIVD is promising for creation of high energy and pulse-periodic HF laser.