MEASUREMENT OF THE FIGURE OF MERIT M FOR SEVERAL PERFLUOROCARBON GASES

ABSTRACT High precision measurements of the linear part of the Paschen curve are reported for CF 4 , C 2 F 6 , C 3 F 8 , n -C 4 F 10 and c- C 4 F 8. From these measurements values for the pressure-reduced limiting electric field strength ( E/p )lim and the figure of merit M are derived. These two parameters can be used to characterise the insulating properties of a strongly electronegative gas. With the exception of c -C 4 F 8 , the results support the general trend in the M ,( E/p ) lim functional relationship reported previously, and the existence of a lower limit to the range of validity is suggested. For c -C 4 F 8 , the value of M is ten times greater than would he expected from the associated ( E/p ) lim .