Features of Thermal Erosion of a Cathode during Glow Discharge at Atmospheric Pressure in Argon Flow

The results on cathode material erosion under action of atmospheric-pressure glow discharge in argon flow powered by unipolar microsecond voltage pulses following with a pulse repetition rate up to 100 kHz are presented. An amplitude of the current pulses was from 500 to 800 mA. The presence of erosion products from the cathode material in the plasma was determined through the detection of ionic and atomic metal lines in its emission spectrum, as well as through analyzing powder samples collected during the operation of the discharge system. It has been shown that, depending on the method used to create the temperature conditions required for cathode erosion, different nanoparticles are formed. These nanoparticles differ in their morphology and chemical composition.