Calculation of discharge inception voltages in argon+SF/sub 6/ mixtures

In this study discharge inception voltages in Ar+SF/sub 6/ binary mixtures are calculated based on the streamer criterion when the gas mixture is subjected to electrostatic fields. The calculations are done for different contents of SF/sub 6/ in the mixture and the total gas pressure is varied as a parameter from 50 kPa to 200 kPa. The computed discharge inception voltages from the streamer criterion appear to compare well with our experimental data and our limiting fields for Ar+SF/sub 6/ mixtures calculated from the basic data using Monte Carlo simulation.