Electrical breakdown properties in neon gas mixed with xenon

The paper investigates electrical discharge properties in neon gas mixed with xenon. The breakdown temperature T_b and voltage V_b are obtained in terms of the gas mixture ratio χ. It is shown that the breakdown voltage decreases, reaches the minimum value at χ = 0.02 and then increases again, as the mixture ratio χ increases from zero to unity. Therefore, mixing the neon gas with a few percent of xenon is the most beneficial to reduce the breakdown voltage. Plasma density at breakdown in neon gas mixed with xenon is described in terms of the gas mixture ratio. The optimum value of mixture ratio for highest plasma density is found to be χ_m = 0.03. A preliminary experiment of AC-PDP is carried out for neon gas mixed with a few percent of xenon to verify some of the theoretical models. The experimental data agree qualitatively well with theoretical predictions.