Measurement of a Threshold Initiation Carrier Density for a Reduction in Gas Breakdown Voltage

Abstract

A direct measurement of an initiation carrier injection for a low voltage discharge is presented. A self-sustained pulsed discharge is utilized to characterize electrical responses of a glow discharge for varying amounts of injected initiation carriers. It is clearly demonstrated that the initiation carrier injection affects the ignition time and the breakdown voltage of the primary discharge. An abrupt reduction in the breakdown voltage for a 300 mu m gap pin-plate discharge is observed when a threshold carrier density of 3x10(11) cm(-3) is injected and the breakdown voltage continues to decrease to 250 V with increasing the initiation carrier injection beyond the threshold density.