Importance of gas in electrodes for the glow-to-arc transition

J. Slepian (Westinghouse Electric and Manufacturing Company, East Pittsburgh, Pa.): The phenomenon studied by Doctor Maxfield and his associates is the most important one in the physics of mercury-arc rectifiers and electric gas-discharge tubes. In spite of its great importance, until now, it has not been at all understood, and no theory which I am able to accept has yet been presented. This is true in spite of the fact that the practical design of mercury-arc rectifiers and ignitrons is determined principally by the use of empirically found devices for reducing arcback frequency, and the development of very high-voltage mercury-vapor tubes is still not successful, because of too frequent arcbacks.