Surface discharge and light emission on a dielectric plate with a backing-strip electrode in Ne and Ne/Xe

Surface discharge characteristics for the configuration with two plane electrodes on the dielectric plate with a flat cable backside electrode under the ac voltage application have been investigated. In this configuration, two discharge modes have been observed: One is a discharge extended in the gaseous space between the electrodes, and the other is a surface discharge developed on the dielectric plate. A slight reduction of surface discharge inception voltage induced by low Xe-mixture into Ne has been found. It should be associated with the Penning effect like as gaseous discharge.