Statistical analysis of electrical breakdown time delay distributions in neon tube at 13.3 mbar

Results of the statistical analysis of the electrical breakdown time delay for a neon-filled tube at 13.3 mbar are presented in this paper. Experimental distributions of the breakdown time delay were established on the basis of 1000 successive and independent measurements, deviating from usual exponential distribution. Breakdown time delay distributions are numerically generated from the composition of two parameters, which correspond to the random variables of an exponential distribution and of a Gaussian distribution. Theoretical breakdown time-delay distribution is obtained from the convolution of the exponential and Gaussian distributions. The numerically generated and theoretical breakdown time delay distributions show good correspondence with the distributions of experimental data.

I. Introduction

The Electrical breakdown in gases represents the transition of gases from dielectric to conducting state. Investigation of electrical breakdown in gases is important for describing processes and characteristics of gases, as well as their practical applications [1], [2]. The electrical breakdown of gases has sharp stochastic nature. Investigation of the statistical nature of the electrical breakdown starts with the Zuber [3]and von Laue [4]and is developed by many authors [5] [6] [7]. The theory is established on the presumption of the Townsend breakdown mechanism [8].