Effect of the external electrical circuit on the ignition of the glow discharge in a Grimm-type cell

Abstract

Pulsed glow discharges are commonly used in analytical spectroscopy since with this operation mode higher peak voltages and currents resulting in higher analyte signals can be obtained than in direct current discharges for the same average power applied. Here we report our investigations of the effect of the external electrical circuit on the ignition of the glow discharge in a Grimm-type cell. A two-dimensional heavy-particle hybrid model of the discharge is complemented with a set of equations for the external circuit. This makes it possible to simultaneously determine (i) the temporal and spatial evolution of the discharge plasma and (ii) the time-dependence of the discharge voltage, as well as of the different current components flowing in the circuit.