
3.8 Microdischarge Properties for the Development of Light Sources 109
The analysis of volt-ampere characteristics is important to establish the regime
of the discharge and also the breakdown voltage. There is an essential differ-
ence between Townsend (low-current diffuse), normal glow (constricted), and
abnormal glow (high-current diffuse). In glow discharge, there is a cathode fall
and possible constriction, which indicates importance of space charge effects.
As normal glow has the lowest voltage of all the regimes, it is the most stable
and usually the point when a transition, made from normal to abnormal glow, is
made the most stable operat ...