An Investigation of the Diode Properties of a Double Layer of a Combined Gas Discharge

The paper shows that upon ignition of the combined gas discharge in the resonator chamber, there appears a double layer with diode properties that consists of layers of positive and negative charges surrounding the workpiece. An increase in the level of microwave power supplied to the chamber leads to a decrease in the equivalent diode resistance in open and closed modes and an increase in the current flowing through the unit. The ions of the process gas (nitrogen or argon) ionized by the microwave field fall on the product surface and diffuse into it as a result of the thermal diffusion process, which hardens the surface layer. The product is heated when a positive bias potential is applied to it by a stream of high-energy electrons arriving at the surface and accelerated to energies of tens and hundreds eV in the discharge acceleration zone. Ion-plasma implantation leads to a significant increase in the strength, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the surface of the processed product.