Analytical approach to SF/sub 6/ breakdown under transient conditions

Under many circumstances, the initiation of breakdown can be viewed as conversion of energy stored in the electric field (capacitive energy) to thermal energy which converts matter in a thin channel from a nonconducting state to a conducting plasma. This paper analyzes this process in the context of breakdown in SF/sub 6/ as a prelude to future papers which treat the subject of breakdown under highly inhomogeneous thermal field, quasihomogeneous electric field conditions.