Prebreakdown in the hollow cathode pseudospark discharge

The ionization growth during the prebreakdown phase of a pseudospark discharge is numerically simulated within the hollow cathode region. A swarm model based on the local field approximation is applied. The continuity equations for electrons and ions are solved simultaneously with Poisson's equation as a function of time in a two-dimensional axially symmetric geometry. The distortion of the electric field due to the hollow cathode geometry and due to space charge effects is incorporated. The numerics of the coding is outlined, and problems, like boundary conditions, and solutions adopted for this type of geometry are described. The validity and the robustness of the numerical scheme are discussed. The results of detailed tests proof that errors related to the limited physical model and to the numerics are tolerable