A new method based on the charge simulation technique is proposed for computing the electric field in a short uniform field gap with space charge and without space charge of avalanches growing in the gap. The self-space-charge field of the avalanche is evaluated to result in field enhancement ahead of the avalanche due to electrons at its head and behind the avalanche due to positive ions in its wake. Also, a criterion is proposed for calculating the breakdown voltage and time-to-breakdown when the primary avalanche crosses the gap. The criterion is based on self-recurrence of the avalanche by secondary processes, and the most dominant one is the photoemission at the cathode. The condition of transition of the primary avalanche to anode- and cathode-directed streamers is formulated where the avalanche is chocked by its self-space-charge field. The number of electrons starting avalanche chains forming the streamers is evaluated in the gas ahead and behind the primary avalanche by photoionization and at the cathode by photoemitted electrons. The present computed values of the breakdown voltage of air at different pressures and N2 at atmospheric pressure as well as the time-to-breakdown in air at atmospheric pressure agree satisfactory with those recorded experimentally. The computed temporal variation of the size of the primary avalanche as influenced by its self-space-charge field agrees with that reported in the literature at different E/NE/N values. The computed current waveforms of the primary avalanche and its successor chains agree reasonably with those measured and those calculated using a finite-element method.

中文翻译：

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雪崩演化的新计算机模拟及其在短均匀场隙中向阳极和阴极定向流光的转变


提出了一种基于电荷模拟技术的新方法，用于计算具有空间电荷和不具有间隙中生长的雪崩的空间电荷的短均匀场隙中的电场。评估雪崩的自空间电荷场，导致雪崩之前由于其头部的电子而导致场增强，以及雪崩之后由于其尾流中的正离子而导致场增强。此外，还提出了计算初级雪崩穿过间隙时的击穿电压和击穿时间的标准。该标准基于二次过程的雪崩自复发，最主要的是阴极的光电发射。初级雪崩向阳极和阴极定向流光的转变条件被公式化，其中雪崩被其自空间电荷场阻塞。形成流光的起始雪崩链的电子数量是通过光电离在初级雪崩之前和之后的气体中以及通过光发射电子在阴极处评估的。目前计算出的不同压力下的空气和大气压下的氮气的击穿电压以及大气压下空气的击穿时间与实验记录的结果一致。计算得到的初级雪崩大小受其自空间电荷场影响的时间变化与文献中报道的不同 E/NE/N 值一致。计算出的初级雪崩及其后继链的电流波形与使用有限元方法测量的和计算的电流波形相当一致。