Optical control of the breakdown of a diffuse discharge using photodetachment

Externally controlled diffuse discharges containing attachers are considered as opening switches for inductive energy storage systems. Photodetachment has been proposed as a control mechanism to decrease the transition time from the nonconductive to the conductive stage of the discharge. As a test case the breakdown behavior of a self-sustained discharge was investigated. Experiments were performed in a buffer gas with admixtures of oxygen. The maximum voltage before breakdown was measured as a function of parameters such as maximum value of the applied voltage pulse, pressure, oxygen concentration, and laser power. A strong influence of impurities was observed