Distortion of plasma due to installation of an orifice in helium discharge positive column

Complicated potential structure formed at a constriction of positive column of a DC discharge with heated cathode in He at low discharge currents is investigated. According to the potential structure, electrons and ions are accelerated by the electric field and their energy distribution functions acquire multi humped shapes. Additional maximums on distribution function quickly disappear due to collisions and radial losses. The nature of current passing through the potential structure is cleared up on the base of measured distributions. Attempt was made to calculate potential drop in DL tacking into account electron energy distribution variations