Gaseous breakdown below paschen minimum in ExB fields

Abstract

Some investigations about the electric discharge in a coaxial geometry electrode are explained in the transition range, namely, Townsend–Penning discharge for the dry air. The existing theory of 0.05 to 0.3 Torr is extended further to the pressure range. The predicted and observed V-I characteristics for the gap show an excellent correlation. In the second part, the experimental data regarding the formative time lags in nitrogen, oxygen and dry air are reported under the negative polarity impulse voltages applied to the discharge. The presence of the Paschen minimum has been used for separating the formative time lag from the observed values of the total time lags. The data obtained on electron–molecule collision frequencies in the gases under investigation. Similar studies are reported for molecule collision frequencies in nitrogen; the electron method agrees well with the electron–molecule collision frequencies reported earlier. It is seen that the effect on the gas pressures at higher ranges is significant.