ABSTRACT
The study of the ionization instability of a volume self-sustaining discharge in SF6 and its mixtures is of interest in connection with the development of non-chain chemical HF(DF) lasers initiated by self-sustained volume discharge. The brightness of the illumination in the irradiated zone is noticeably lower than the brightness of the rest of the discharge, despite the continuity of the self-initiated volume dischage current. This is connected with the solution of a number of fundamental and applied problems of modern electrophysics, such as the study of the dynamics of the high-temperature leader channel of a spark discharge and the use of highly electronegative gases as high-voltage insulation in conditions where operating temperatures can significantly exceed normal ones. The study of the ionization instability of a volume self-sustaining discharge in SF6 and its mixtures is of interest in connection with the development of non-chain chemical HF(DF) lasers initiated by self-sustinained volume discharge.
