Electron energy spectra in helium observed in a microplasma collisional electron spectroscopy detector

The energy spectra of fast electrons resulting from pair collisions between metastable atoms and from collisions of the second kind with electrons are observed in the afterglow of a helium-filled microplasma collisional electron spectroscopy (CES) detector at a pressure of 5-40 Torr. It is demonstrated that impurities present in the main inert gas can be detected and their composition can be determined using a planar double-electrode detector in which the cathode simultaneously serves as an analyzer of electrons in the afterglow.