Anisotropy of the electron component in a cylindrical magnetron discharge. II. Application to real magnetron discharge.

The physical processes occurring in electrode regions and the positive column of a cylindrical magnetron discharge in crossed electric and magnetic fields are investigated based on the solution of the Boltzmann kinetic equation by a multiterm decomposition of the electron phase space distribution function in terms of spherical tensors. The influence of the distribution function anisotropy on the absolute values and radial profiles of the electron density and rates of various transport and collision processes is analyzed. The spiral lines for the directed particle and energy transport are obtained to illustrate the anisotropy effects in dependence on the magnetic field. The electron equipressure surfaces are constructed in the form of ellipsoids of pressure and their transformation in the cathode and anode regions is studied. A strong anisotropy of the energy flux tensor in contrast to a weak anisotropy of the momentum flux density tensor is found. Particular results are obtained for the cylindrical magnetron discharge in argon at pressure 3 Pa, current 200 mA, and magnetic fields ranging within 100 and 400 G.