Eur. Phys. J. D 28, 393-398 (2004)
https://doi.org/10.1140/epjd/e2003-00324-1

Intensity dependence of hydrogen Lyman alpha and Balmer alpha lines upon cathode material of an abnormal glow discharge

¹ Center for Science and Development of Technology, Obilicev Venac 26, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro
² Faculty of Physics, University of Belgrade, P.O. Box 368, 11001 Belgrade, Serbia and Montenegro

Corresponding author: ^a nikruz@ff.bg.ac.yu

Received: 23 May 2003
Revised: 17 November 2003
Published online: 20 January 2004

Abstract

The results of the hydrogen L 121.567 nm and H 656.280 nm line intensity dependence upon cathode material of an abnormal glow discharge are reported. Under similar experimental conditions systematic variation of the L and H line intensity with the atomic number Z of cathode material (graphite, Ti, Fe, Cu, Zn, Pd, Ag, Pt, Au and Pb) is detected. Shapes of line intensity Z-dependences suggest that, apart from electron impacts, line excitation is related also to the back-scattering of fast hydrogen atoms from cathode and sputtering yield of cathode material. The excitation of H₂ molecular bands is not sensitive to these cathode processes.