NEGATIVE CURRENT-VOLTAGE CHARACTERISTICS IN HYDROGEN AT HIGH PRESSURE USING PLANE PARALLEL ELECTRODES

Journal Article · Sun May 15 04:00:00 EDT 1960 · Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRev.118.920· OSTI ID:4154523

DeBitetto, D J; Fisher, L H; Ward, A L

In conjunction with measurements of current-voltage characteristics in hydrogen, a few characteristics were obtained which include a region with negative slope. The latter characteristics were obtained with plane parallel electrodes at an electrode separation of 2 cm at a pressure of 400 mm Hg and with three values of externally initiated cathode current. The initial currents ranged from about 10/sup -11/ to 10/sup -9/ amp, and the amplified currents reached values as high as 10/sup -4/ amp. The characteristics corresponding to the larger initial currents become negative at large currents ( approximately - 10/sup -5/ amp). The voltage at which a characteristic becomes negative, i.e., the maximum attainable voltage across the electrodes, decreases slightly with increasing initial current. The circuit imcluded a series resistor of 20 megohms. These characteristics can be explained quantitatively on the basis of the first and second Townsend coefficients (previously measured with the same apparatus) acting in conjunction with space charge, if a not unreasonable discharge area is assumed. These calculations were carried out on an IBM 704 computer. (auth)

• Research Organization: New York Univ., New York; Diamond Ordnance Fuse Labs., Washington, D.C.
• NSA Number: NSA-14-016117
• OSTI ID: 4154523
• Journal Information: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D, Journal Name: Physical Review (U.S.) Superseded in part by Phys. Rev. A, Phys. Rev. B: Solid State, Phys. Rev. C, and Phys. Rev. D Vol. Vol: 118; ISSN PHRVA
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

CATHODES
COMPUTERS
CONFIGURATION
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CHARGES
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRODES
HYDROGEN
MATHEMATICS
MEASURED VALUES
NUMERICALS
PHYSICS
PLATES
PRESSURE
RESISTORS
TOWNSEND THEORY