The impact ionization and electrical breakdown strength for atomic and molecular liquids

It is pointed out that ionization electron avalanche development determines the electrical breakdown strength of the high-electron-mobility liquids Ar, Kr, and Xe. The DC and laser-induced breakdown strengths of these liquids are lower than low-density gas extrapolation values. This difference is the consequence of the absence of inelastic electron energy losses in liquids. In low-electron-mobility molecular liquids the electrical breakdown for a long pulse duration occurs via the bubble mechanism, but with decreasing voltage pulse duration and gap length the ionization avalanche mechanism would become more preferable. Electric strength measurements for high-density supercritical vapors are interpreted on this basis.>