Breakdown delay in vacuum

The results of theoretical and experimental study of breakdown delay in vacuum are presented. It is shown that processing of vacuum gap electrodes by high-voltage pulses with duration equal to breakdown delay time realizes the optimum mode providing an electric strength maximum at minimal duration of conditioning process. The regime of cathode treatment by high-voltage pulses with duration equal to the breakdown delay time allows estimating the magnitudes of field amplification factor β, work function φ, and macrointensity E₀ of the electric field initiating breakdown on vacuum gap cathode.