We focused on the characteristics of helium glow discharge with small nitrogen impurities(with volume fraction of 10

–6

1

0

–4

) at low pressures. We proposed a two-dimensional fluid model and calculated the elementary physical equations by a finite element method in COMSOL.Moreover

we analyzed the influence of small nitrogen impurities on the helium glow discharge at low pressures. The results show that Penning ionization process of nitrogen molecule and metastable helium lowers the breakdown voltage

and increase in the amount of nitrogen in the mixture will result in the decrease of maintaining voltage and the increase of current. In addition

the electron density will increase

and the electric field and electron temperature in plasma will decrease. This is mainly caused by the Penning ionization process which can provide sufficient electron for the discharge spa

ce.