Abstract: The formative time for different values of afterglow period with/ without positive bias on the electrodes in nitrogen-filled tube has been investigated. The obtained values for average formative time delay which is determined as a difference between average total time delay of electrical breakdown and standard deviation are in accordance with those evaluated from Laue distribution. The good agreement of formative time values which are determined by these methods is observed in the case when the electrical breakdown is mostly initiated by secondary electrons from the cathode induced by positive ions remained from the previous discharge.
Key words: Nitrogen-field tube, statistical methods, formative time, Laue distribution.