Method for determining the breakdown voltage in gas-filled tubes

Average values of the dynamic breakdown voltage [Ubar]p as a function of the rate of increase of the applied voltage k for a nitrogen-filled tube with bulk copper electrodes one of which is gold plated are presented in this paper. Extrapolating the resulting curve up to the intercept with the Up-axis allows the value of the static breakdown voltage to be found. It is shown that the value of static breakdown voltage depends on the cathode material regardless of whether the tube has been irradiated with 60Co. The distribution densities of 250 values of the dynamic breakdown voltage for values of the rate of increase of the applied voltage of 0.1 Vs−1 and 1.Vs−1 are given. It is shown that the agreement between the experimental values and the theory are better for a rate of 0.1 Vs−1