Electrical Breakdown and Discharges in Gases. Part A Fundamental Processes and Breakdown

Transcription

1 Electrical Breakdown and Discharges in Gases Part A Fundamental Processes and Breakdown

2 NATO Advanced Science Institutes Series A series of edited volumes comprising multifaceted studies of contemporary scientific issues by some of the best scientific minds in the world, assembled in cooperation with NATO Scientific Affairs Division. This series is published by an international board of publishers in conjunction with NATO Scientific Affairs Division A Life Sciences B Physics Plenum Publishing Corporation New York and London C Mathematical and D. Reidel Publishing Company Physical Sciences Dordrecht, Boston, and London D Behavioral and Social Sciences E Applied Sciences Martinus Nijhoff Publishers The Hague, London, and Boston F Computer and Springer Verlag Systems Sci@nces Heidelberg G Ecological Sciences Recent Volumes in Series B: Physics Volume 84- Physical Processes in Laser-Materials Interactions edited by M. Bertolotti Volume 85- Fundamental Interactions: Cargese 1981 edited by Maurice Levy, Jean-Louis Basdevant, David Speiser, Jacques Weyers, Maurice Jacob, and Raymond Gastmans Volume 86- Surface Mobilities on Solid Materials: Fundamental Concepts and Applications edited by Vu Thien Binh Volume 87-Relativistic Effects in Atoms, Molecules, and Solids edited by G. L. Malli Volume 88-Collective Excitations in Solids edited by Baldassare Di Bartolo Volume 89a- Electrical Breakdown and Discharges in Gases: Fundamental Processes and Breakdown edited by Erich E. Kunhardt and Lawrence H. Luessen Volume 89b-Electrical Breakdown and Discharges in Gases: Macroscopic Processes and Discharges edited by Erich E. Kunhardt and Lawrence H. Luessen

3 Electrical Breakdown and Discharges in Gases Part A Fundamental Processes and Breakdown Edited by Erich E. Kunhardt Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas and Lawrence H. Luessen Naval Surface Weapons Center Dahlgren, Virginia Plenum Press New York and London Published in cooperation with NATO Scientific Affairs Division

4 Proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute on Electrical Breakdown and Discharges in Gases, held June 28 - July 10, 1981, in Les Arcs, France Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data NATO Advanced Study Institute on Electrical Breakdown and Discharges in Gases (1981: Les Arcs, France) Electrical breakdown and discharges in gases. (NATO ASI series. Series B, Physics; v. 89) "Proceedings of a NATO Advanced Study Institute on Electrical Breakdown and Discharges in Gases, held June 28 - July 10, 1981, in Les Arcs, France"-T.p. verso. Includes bibliographical references and indexes. Contents: pt. a. Fundamental processes and breakdown-pt. b. Macroscopic processes and discharges. 1. Electric discharges through gases-congresses. 2. Breakdown (Electricity)-Congresses. 3. Plasma (Ionized gases)-congresses. I. Kunhardt, Erich E. II. Luessen, Lawrence H. III. North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Scientific Affairs Division. IV. Title. V. Series. QC710.N ' ISBN-13: e-isbn-l3: DOl: / Plenum Press, New York A Division of Plenum Publishing Corporation 233 Spring Street, New York, N.Y Softcover reprint ofthe hardcover 1st edition 1983 All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording, or otherwise, without written permission from the Publisher

5 PREFACE The Advanced Study Institute on Breakdown and Discharges in Gases was held in Les Arcs, France, June 28 to July 10, The object of the Institute was to provide a broad but comprehensive presentation of the various topics in the field of Gaseous electronics. To achieve this goal, a number of lectures, seminars, and panel discussions were scheduled. Each topic was developed by two tutorial and/or review lectures, and brought to the present state of the topic by seminars and panel discussions. The program of topics and speakers was selected with the assistance of the advisory committee composed of: J. A. Rees, European Coordinator, England; M. Goldman, French Coordinator, France; A. H. Guenther, USA; M. Kristiansen, USA; and A. V. Phelps, USA. The most memorable aspect of the Institute was the sustained high interest of the faculty and participants for the two week period. The daily schedule was demanding: five hours of lectures, two hours of seminars and one of discussion. These sessions were often extended because of presentation by the participants of improptu seminars. The discussions were intense. Majestic }10nt Blanc provided the backdrop for the lecture hall, and these surroundings and the weather contributed to the overall positive mood. It was a wonderful occasion. The lectures and seminars have been collected into two volumes. The sequence of topics in these volumes is very much the same as that of the Institute, although some lectures were rearranged to balance the size of the two volumes. The subjects are divided as follows: in Part A: Basic Discharge Processes, Kinetic Theory and Gas Breakdown; in Part B: Coronas, Gas Discharges, Diagnostics, Plasma Chemistry and Applications. This collection is both tutorial and representative of the state of the field. We hope it will be useful both to beginners and experienced researchers. v

6 vi PREFACE We are grateful to a number of organizations for providing financial assistance. The Scientific Affairs Division of NATO provided the major contribution for the Institute. The Office of Naval Research, the Naval Surface Weapons Center at Dahlgren, the Air Force Office of Scientific Research and the Air Force Weapons Laboratory provided additional support. The National Science Foundation financed the travel of one student. We would like to acknowledge the many people who helped us organize and carry the Institute to its successful completion. Our thanks to the organizing committee, lecturers, and participants for their support; to Dr. H. Davidson of the Army Research Office for his guidance, to W. P. Allis, A. V. Phelps and A. Rees' whose initial interest in the Institute encouraged us to pursue its organization; to Dr. Mario di Lu1lo, and Dr. T. Kester of the Scientific Affairs Division of NATO for their personal interest and advice, to J. P, Boeuf for reviewing manuscripts and indexing, to our wives Christine K. and Lynn L. and to Marie Byrd for their assistance in Les Arcs. A special thanks to Elizabeth Orem of Associated Editors & Authors, whose editorial assistance was invaluable to the preparation of these proceedings. E. E. Kunhardt Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas L. H. Luessen U.S. Naval Surface Weapons Center Dahlgren, Virginia July 26, 1982

7 CONTENTS BASIC DISCHARGE PROCESSES The Development of Theories of the Electrical Breakdown of Gases F. Llewellyn-Jones Basic Processes of Electrical Discharges J. A. Rees Transport Data for the Modeling of Electrical Breakdown and Discharges... A. V. Phelps Electronegative Gases. L. G. Christophorou KINETIC THEORY Kinetic Theory of Ion Transport in Gases. H. R. Skullerud On the Divergence of the Legendre Expansion of the Electron Velocity Distribution W. P. Allis BREAKDOWN IN UNIFORM FIELDS Prebreakdown Ionization in Gases Under Steady-State and Pulsed Conditions in Uniform Fields J. Dutton Nanosecond Pulse Breakdown of Gas Insulated Gaps... E. E. Kunhardt vii

8 viii CONTENTS BREAKDOWN IN NONUNIFORM FIELDS Physical Models of Long Air Gap Breakdown Processes. I. Gallimberti 265 Spark-Over Characteristics of Long Gaps G. Baldo SEMINARS A Numerical Solution of the Boltzmann Equation L. C. Pitchford The Microscopic Treatment of Nonequilibrium Regions in a Weakly Ionized Gas... P. Segur, M. Yousfi, J. P. Boeuf, E. Marode, A. J. Davies, and J. G. Evans Current Research Topics in Low-Pressure Glow Discharges in Rare Gases and in Pure Nitrogen C. M. Ferreira Contributions to Continuous Leader Channel Development... M. M. Kekez and P. Savic PARTICIPANTS INDEX