On the mechanism of the runaway of electrons in a gas: the universal escape curves for He, Xe, N<sub>2</sub>

Sergey I. Yakovlenko; A. N. Tkachev

doi:10.1117/12.562981

3 May 2004 On the mechanism of the runaway of electrons in a gas: the universal escape curves for He, Xe, N₂

Sergey I. Yakovlenko, A. N. Tkachev

Proceedings Volume 5483, Atomic and Molecular Pulsed Lasers V; (2004) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.562981
Event: Atomic and Molecular Pulsed Lasers V, 2003, Tomsk, Russian Federation

Abstract

Basing on the simple form of the energy conservation law and taking into account a multiplication of electrons, we show that the Townsend mechanism of electron multiplication in a gas is valid at sufficiently large interelectrode distance even at so large values of an electric field strength, when it is possible to neglect ionization friction. Correspondingly, the runaway electron producing in a gas is determined not by the local criteria accepted presently, but by the ratio of interelectrode distance and the characteristic electron multiplication length. Basing on numerical simulations for nitrogen gas we show that the critical discharge voltage U_cr(pd), at which the runaway electrons begin prevail, is a function of the product of the interelectrode distance by the gas pressure pd. This function (escape curve of U_cr-pd dependence) separates the area of an effective multiplication of electrons and the area, in which electrons escape discharge gap not having time to be multiplied. The curve U_cr(pd) has the upper and lower branches. Using U_cr(pd) we obtain the analog of well-known Paschen curve, which describes additionally the absence of a self-sustained discharge at a high voltages sufficiently rapidly supplied across the electrodes. Escape curves for helium, xenon and nitrogen are presented.

Citation Download Citation

Sergey I. Yakovlenko and A. N. Tkachev "On the mechanism of the runaway of electrons in a gas: the universal escape curves for He, Xe, N₂", Proc. SPIE 5483, Atomic and Molecular Pulsed Lasers V, (3 May 2004); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.562981

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