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Stochastic and Relaxation Processes in Argon by Measurements of Dynamic Breakdown Voltages
Author(s) -
Marković V. Lj.,
Stamenković S. N.,
Gocić S. R.,
Petrović Z. Lj.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
contributions to plasma physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.531
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1521-3986
pISSN - 0863-1042
DOI - 10.1002/ctpp.200510053
Subject(s) - afterglow , atomic physics , ionization , breakdown voltage , relaxation (psychology) , materials science , argon , voltage , electrical breakdown , physics , ion , psychology , quantum mechanics , astronomy , social psychology , gamma ray burst
Statistically based measurements of breakdown voltages U b and breakdown delay times td and their variations in transient regimes of establishment and relaxation of discharges are a convenient method to study stochastic processes of electrical breakdown of gases, as well as relaxation kinetics in afterglow. In this paper the measurements and statistical analysis of the dynamic breakdown voltages U b for linearly rising (ramp) pulses in argon at 1.33 mbar and the rates of voltage rise k up to 800 V s –1 are presented. It was found that electrical breakdowns by linearly rising (ramp) pulses is an inhomogeneous Poisson process caused by primary and secondary ionization coefficients α , γ and electron yield Y variations on the voltage (time). The experimental breakdown voltage distributions were fitted by theoretical distributions by applying approximate analytical and numerical models. The afterglow kinetics in argon was studied based on the dependence of the initial electron yield on the relaxation time Y 0 ( τ ) derived from fitting of distributions. The space charge decay was explained by the surface recombination of nitrogen atoms present as impurities. The afterglow kinetics and the surface recombination coefficients on the gas tube and cathode were determined from a gas‐phase model. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)