Experiments and particle-in-cell simulation on self-oscillations and period doubling in thermionic discharges at low pressure

The mechanism of different discharge modes, self-oscillations, and the period-doubling route to chaos is studied by comparing experimental results from a filament cathode discharge with particle-in-cell simulations. The self-oscillation process invokes ion trapping by charge exchange, double layer formation, and ion depletion. The exhausting of resources which underlies the period-doubling route is identified with incomplete ion refilling.