Investigation of the effect of additional electrons originating from the ultraviolet radiation on the nitrogen memory effect

Abstract

The influence of ultraviolet radiation on memory effect in nitrogen has been investigated. The spectrum of the radiation which passes through the walls of the experimental sample was obtained by the spectrometer. A detailed comparison of experimental results of electrical breakdown time delay as a function of afterglow period with and without ultraviolet irradiation was performed. These studies were done for such product of gas pressure and inter-electrode distance when both breakdown initiation mechanisms exist. The research has shown that ultraviolet radiation leads to the decrease in ion concentration in early nitrogen afterglow due to recombination of nitrogen ions with electrons released from the tube walls and electrodes. Meanwhile, it has been cofirmed that this radiation has a negligible influence on the breakdown initiation in late nitrogen afterglow when a significant nitogen atom concentration is persistent. When the concentration of nitrogen atoms decreases enough, the breakdown initiation is caused by cosmic rays but UV photons have an important influence because of the rise of the electron yield.