Electric field non-uniformity effect on dc low pressure gas breakdown between flat electrodes

摘要

AbstractThis paper presents the results of studying the gas breakdown in a non-uniform direct current electric field. The breakdown curves have been measured in nitrogen between flat electrodes of 6?mm in radius spaced 3–300?mm apart and placed inside the discharge tubes of 6.5?mm and 28?mm in radius.The effects of the non-uniform distribution of the electric field inside the inter-electrode gap and of the diffusion loss of charged particles to the discharge tube walls on the gas breakdown have been studied separately. A conclusion is drawn from the experimental data that the general form of the gas breakdown criterion must be as followsU=fpL,L/Rel,L/Rtubein which theL/Relratio of the inter-electrode gap value to the electrode radius describes the electric field nonuniformity inside the discharge tube whereas theL/Rtuberatio characterizes the diffusion loss of electrons on the discharge tube walls.It has been found that the breakdown curves for different electrode radius values and a fixed gapLvalue intersect at such value of the gas pressure that corresponds to the location of the inflection point of the breakdown curve for a uniform electric field.Highlights?We investigated the gas breakdown in a non-uniform dc electric field.?The effects of the non-uniform electric field and of the diffusion loss were studied separately.?The general form of the gas breakdown criterion must be as followsU=fpL,L/Rel,L/Rtube.]]>