An electrode microwave discharge in a static field

The effect of an external static electric field on an electrode microwave discharge in nitrogen is investigated at pressures of $1$ to $5$ Torr and incident power of $20$ to $170$ W. It is demonstrated that the current-voltage characteristics (CVC) of the discharge with respect to direct current are nonlinear; the nonlinearity defining the CVC is the plasma layer at the surface of the discharge chamber. Qualitative agreement is obtained between the measured CVC and those calculated using the self-consistent one-dimensional quasi-static model of microwave discharge in a system of electrodes with spherical symmetry. It is demonstrated that the applied dc voltage affects only slightly the discharge characteristics; however, it enables one to control flows of charged particles to the surface of the discharge chamber.