High-Frequency Gas-Discharge Breakdown

A phenomenological description of high-frequency gas-discharge breakdown is given, describing the similarities and differences between these discharges and the more familiar dc type. High-frequency discharge breakdown is controlled by the process of electron diffusion and, besides the theory of its behavior, the physical limitations of tube size, gas pressure, and frequency for this type of breakdown are given. The particular case of hydrogen is cited. The effects of superimposing a small dc field and a magnetic field on the ac field are also discussed.