Ultraviolet light in glow discharges

The use of ultraviolet light has prevailed in investigation of gas breakdown phenomena since Townsend developed the model of gas breakdown discharge carrying his name because ultraviolet light creates the supposedly necessary electrons in the interelectrode space. However, the ultraviolet light influences the gas breakdown characteristics. Therefore, the extent of the influence of the ultraviolet light on the prebreakdown current, the breakdown current, the breakdown voltage, and the Townsend's coefficients is studied.