Switching characteristics of nitrogen in the pulsed mode in a subnanosecond time interval

Data on switching voltages and times of breakdown formation in nitrogen as functions of the gas pressure (in the range of 1–40 atm) and the degree of overvoltage of the discharge gap have been obtained in a subnanosecond interval at a uniform electric field. It is shown that the dependence of the breakdown formation time on the electric field and pressure obeys the similarity law, which indicates a multielectron character of discharge initiation.