Thermionic converters and low-temperature plasma

The fundamental physical processes in plasma diodes (the phenomena of plasmas and electrodes surfaces), the methods for investigating the low-temperature plasma of thermionic converters, and the investigation of physical processes in thermionic converter (TIC) plasmas and pre-electrode sheaths that occur in the various operating modes are outlined. Topics covered include (1) thermionic converters and low-temperature plasma; (2) emission and adsorption processes (TIC electrodes); (3) elementary processes in a plasma; (4) kinetic phenomena in the plasma; (5) ionization and recombination in a low-temperature plasma; (6) pre-electrode phenomena in a TIC plasma; (7) experimental methods for investigating low-temperature plasmas; (8) the diffusion mode of thermionic converters; (9) the low-voltage arc in a TIC; (10) the direct-flight (Knudsen) mode of TIC operation; and (11) some engineering problems of TIC's.