Undervoltage breakdown between parallel plates in air

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Abstract
Transient discharges in air that are started at undervoltages by supplying a large number of initial electrons at the cathode of parallel plates are investigated at gas pressures of 20 and 200 Torr. The discharge current has been measured, and factors affecting the development of the current are investigated by comparing the experimental current with a computer-simulated current. The spatiotemporal development of the electron, positive-ion and negative-ion densities and of the electric field are also calculated to account for the mechanism of breakdown. It is found at 200 Torr with E/p between 43 and 46 V cm-1 Torr-1 that the electrons produced in the gas by electron detachment have a large effect on the process of the space charge accumulation, which eventually leads to breakdown, while the cathode photoemission ( gamma p) effect is the main secondary process contributing to the space charge accumulation and breakdown at 20 Torr with E/p between 76 and 84 V cm-1 Torr-1.

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