Plasma of capillary discharge of low pressure

Ionization equilibrium is considered for a capillary plasma of low pressure within a scheme where a tail of the energy distribution function of electrons at energies above the atom excitation energy includes a small portion of electrons. The kinetics of a gas discharge plasma in strong fields is developed and allows one to determine the drift velocity of electrons and other parameters of a capillary plasma. The results are applied to a capillary plasma of helium and argon. The analysis leads to the optimal shape of the gas discharge chamber for the formation of a plasma torch with fast electrons.