Study of the critical voltages of a discharge in gases with an easily ionizable additive

This paper studies the formation of electrical breakdown experimentally, and the critical voltages for a discharge in Ar and He with a potassium additive are determined. It is established that for partial pressures of sodium vapor PK greater than or equal to 10/sup -2/ Pa and temperatures T greater than or equal to 800 degrees K, breakdown in the mixture is preceded by ignition of a diffusion discharge, which is linked to the ionization of the alkali metal vapor. The studies show that in argon and helium, with the addition of potassium vapor, the development of the discharge will be characterized by an entire series of critical voltages.