Ionization Waves in Electrical Breakdown of Gases

The authors present a systematic theoretical treatment of phenomena that lead to electrical breakdown of gases and plasmas bounded by walls, including electron drift and impact ionization, diffusion, and photoionization. Starting with a review of breakdown waves in gas-filled gaps, the book continues with a discussion of the basic macroscopic equations, including the effects of the nonequilibrium kinetics of electrons and impact ionization. The authors then develop the theory of planar ionizatio…