Effect of Preionization on Microwave Breakdown in Neon

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Microwave breakdown field strengths at 3.06 GHz have been measured in neon as a function of electron concentration present at the time of application of the field. Measurements were made for initial electron concentrations varying from about 106 to 109 cm−3, for three cavity diffusion lengths, and pressures varying from about 0.2 to 80 Torr. Decreases in breakdown field strength of more than 80% are observed as electron concentration increases enough to change the electron loss process from free-electron diffusion to ambipolar diffusion.