LIGHT MEASUREMENTS IN VACUUM GAPS.

Abstract

The intensity of light emitted from a gap prior to breakdown was measured as a function of voltage for gap spacings of 0.5 to 3.0 mm at 0.5 mm settings. The onset of visible light was found to occur at the same current level for any gap spacing. Four levels of infrared output were measured for the various gap spacings. A constant detector output was used as a criterion of electrode surface disruption. These measurements show that the slopes of the curves of units of infrared versus gap spacing vary from about 0.8 at the lowest level to 0.6 at the highest light intensity output level, which is just below a breakdown level. These measurements verify Cranberg's half-power law, and also might explain why other experimenters using various criteria for breakdown obtained various values of alpha. (Author)

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 1966
Accession Number
AD0645361

Entities

People

  • G. W. Taylor
  • M. M. Chrepta

Organizations

  • United States Army Communications-Electronics Command

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Detectors
  • Electrodes
  • Intensity
  • Measurement
  • Visible Spectra
  • Warning Systems

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics.
  • Spectroscopy.
  • Vision Science/Vision Psychology/Cognitive Neuroscience.

Technology Areas

  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster