Breakdown-voltage memory effect in a neon-filled diode at 1 mbar

• Published in: IEEE transactions on plasma science Vol. 30; no. 4; pp. 1597 - 1601
• Main Authors: Maluckov, C.A., Radovic, M.K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York, NY IEEE 01.08.2002; Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers; The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. (IEEE)
• Subjects: Breakdown voltage; Delay effects; Diodes; Distribution functions; Electric breakdown; Electric discharges; Electric potential; Electricity; Exact sciences and technology; Fittings; Gases; Histograms; Intervals; Ionization; Mathematical models; Metastasis; Neon; Other gas discharges; Physics; Physics of gases, plasmas and electric discharges; Physics of plasmas and electric discharges; Relaxation time; Time measurement; Voltage; Breakdown voltage; Neon; Electric breakdown; Experimental study; Diodes; Memory effect; Gas discharge tubes; Distribution functions
• ISSN: 0093-3813; 1939-9375
• DOI: 10.1109/TPS.2002.804168

Results of the investigation of the breakdown-voltage distribution dependence on the relaxation time of the diode [the curve U~/sub b~/=f(/spl tau/)], i.e., memory effect, in neon at p=1 mbar are presented in this paper. The memory effect is determined for the diode-relaxation times 0.1-100 s. The applied voltage was linearly increased with the increasing rate 10 V/s. For each value of the relaxation time, the series of 200 successive and independent measurements were done. The numerical fitting of the theoretical expression of the breakdown-voltage distribution on the histograms of the experimentally established data was used to determined relative yield in the diode for the different relaxation times Y/Y/sub 0/=f(/spl tau/). Results show that the yield in the diode decreased in that time interval in one order of magnitude. Quantitative parameters for two-step decreasing and qualitative explanation of these dependencies are given.