Relation of breakdown voltage and prebreakdown microdischarge parameters in vacuum

Some selected parameters describing microdischarges are examined. The statistical distribution of charge transferred by microdischarges, obtained by means of multichannel pulse-height analysis, is presented. The relations of breakdown voltage to the parameters characterizing microdischarges are defined. The parameters considered are the number N of pulses in count time, maximum charge Q/sub mx/ of a single microdischarge, total charge Q transferred by microdischarges in count time, and summary charge Q/sub 30/ transferred by the most intensive microdischarges with magnitude of 0.7Q/sub mx/ to 1.0Q/sub mx/.<
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