Memory effect and time correlations in breakdown initiation of DC glow discharge in argon and synthetic air

Abstract

The memory effect and correlations of the statistical and formative time delay in argon and synthetic air DC glow discharge at low pressure were studied. The memory coefficients and ratios and Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients were determined, ranging from about unity at low relaxation times and vanishing at the saturation region of the memory curves (determined by the background ionization). It was shown that the statistical ts and the formative time delay t f are correlated variables and the positive correlation between them was confirmed experimentally and theoretically.

Conversion of an atomic to a molecular argon ion and low pressure argon relaxation

“…2(a), which shows the memory curve measured from 1 ms to 10 s, the three characteristic regions can be observed. [30] Region I is dominated by charged particle decay, region II by the neutral active particle decay (surface recombination of nitrogen atoms present as impurities), [26,27] and finally, region III by the saturation of memory curve (due to cosmic rays and natural radioactivity). [26,27,30] By analyzing the memory curves measured at different inter-electrode distances the same regions can be observed.…”

“…[30] Region I is dominated by charged particle decay, region II by the neutral active particle decay (surface recombination of nitrogen atoms present as impurities), [26,27] and finally, region III by the saturation of memory curve (due to cosmic rays and natural radioactivity). [26,27,30] By analyzing the memory curves measured at different inter-electrode distances the same regions can be observed. The significant differences are the occurrences of maxima of mean values and standard deviations of time delay at the relaxation time of about several milliseconds (Fig.…”

“…2(b)). In this region, the statistical time is negligible (t s ≈ 1/Y eff ≈ 1/(Y P) → 0, where Y is the electron yield and P is the breakdown probability), [22,29,30] so the measured time delay distributions are in fact the formative time delay distributions (t f ≈ td ts ). This distribution (Fig.…”

“…The occurrence of mixture distribution implies the existence of two separate subpopulations caused by two mechanisms or particles. [31,32] The mean value of formative time delay is given by the following relation: [30] tf…”