The study of the non-radiative life-time of the 1S₅metastable states of neon atoms under its own gas pressure of 13.3 mbar

Abstract

The probability of electrical breakdown in neon is investigated under a pressure of 13.3 mbar, using the breakdown time-delay measurement method. It is found, by applying a laser spectroscopy technique, that the 1S5 metastable states of neon atoms dominantly contribute to the breakdown probability in the moment when more than 1 s has passed after the previous discharge. With this method the presence of 1S5 states of Ne atoms is detected in the gas, under the pressure mentioned, up to about 500 s after the cessation of the breakdown.

Investigation of the Influence of Overvoltage, Auxiliary Glow Current and Relaxation Time on the Electrical Breakdown Time Delay Distributions in Neon

“…The decrease of the metastable neon atom concentration leads to yield decrease and increase of the time delay values. The shape of the memory curve recorded without auxiliary current is in agreement with earlier measurements [15,17,18,25,37]. The saturation of memory curve without auxiliary glow current occurs when the concentration of metastable neon atoms becomes negligible and the cosmic ray starts to be responsible for the breakdown initiation.…”

“…In second part of memory curve, the dominant mechanism of secondary electron emission is deexcitation of the neon atoms in 3 P 2 and 3 P 0 metastable states. In paper [18] is shown that the memory effect is associated with the long radiative lifetime of the 3 P 2 metastable states (∼24.4 s [19]). The initial concentration of the metastable 3 P 2 neon atoms in afterglow is of the order of 10 12 cm −3 [20].…”

The application of convolution-based statistical model on the electrical breakdown time delay distributions in neon

“…21) is the mean value of 100 successive and independent measurements. 23), by the time delay method, that 3 P 2 metastable states of neon atoms have the dominant role in breakdown formation for small overvoltages and used relaxation times. First part of memory curve corresponds to the relaxation times from 3 Phys.…”

Breakdown in low pressure Ne gas: mechanisms and statistical analysis of time delay

“…These electrons cause electrical breakdown in gases if the enough high voltage is applied on the tube. The authors of paper [22] show (using the time delay measuring method) that neon atoms in 3 P 2 metastable states have the dominant role in the breakdown formation. They explained the memory effect with the long radiative lifetime of the 3 P 2 metastable states.…”