Parameters of the plasma produced at the surface of a ferroelectric cathode by different driving pulses

Spectroscopic investigations of the properties of a plasma produced by a ferroelectric-plasma source are presented. The electron plasma density, the electron and ion temperature, and the density of desorbed neutrals near the ferroelectric surface are determined from spectral line intensities and profiles. Three different methods of surface plasma formation are analyzed using a simplified model for the plasma production. The model predicts the total amount of charge in the plasma to be proportional to the dielectric constant of the ferroelectric material. Also, the model shows a strong dependence of the plasma parameters on the resistivity of the plasma transition layer. A maximal plasma density of $\sim {10}^{15}{\mathrm{cm}}^{-3}$ is achieved when the electrons that were attached by the driving field to the ferroelectric surface are released from the surface owing to driving pulse sharp decay and ionized heavy atoms desorbed from the ferroelectric.