Influence of electrode temperature on the metastable atom concentration in an argon-filled diode

Abstract

The influence of electrode temperature on the time delay of electrical breakdown in an argon-filled (13.3 mbar) diode at electrode temperatures of 300, 523 and 673K has been investigated by measuring the electrical breakdown time delay (td) dependence on both the time interval between two successive measurements ( tau ) ('memory curves') and the applied voltages (Uw). The results obtained show that values of td at 673K are about one order of magnitude smaller than those at 300K, whether cathode or anode was heated. It was shown that the complete curve td=f(Uw) moved towards smaller values of td with increasing temperature. Conclusions on the change with temperature of the temperature equilibrium concentration of metastables are drawn.