Plasma Breakdown

The initial ionisation that turns fill gas into a conducting plasma at start-up.

Breakdown is the first step of every discharge: a loop voltage ionises the fill gas into a conducting plasma, after which the current can be ramped up. Reliable, low-voltage breakdown is a start-up design requirement.

Breakdown is the delicate first step of every discharge: a loop voltage ionises the fill gas into a conducting plasma before the current can be ramped. In a compact machine with a small solenoid it is often assisted by electron-cyclotron power, and reliable low-voltage breakdown is a design requirement for operability.