In this study, structured MgO films were synthesized on stainless steel electrodes to reduce the glow discharge inception voltage in a diode-type discharge system in 6%Xe + 94%Ne atmosphere. The relationship between the MgO surface configuration and the discharge inception voltage was investigated. We prepared two types of MgO film, namely, those with a flat surface and those with a structured surface. The structured surface appeared to have a desert-rose-like structure. The discharge inception voltage varied with the surface configuration of the MgO film. The inception voltages in the structured MgO-coated electrodes were lower than those in the MgO films with a flat surface at a pressure of 0.4-10 kPa. One of the causes of the reduction in inception voltage in a structured MgO-coated electrode is considered to be the field enhancement effect at the tip of the MgO-coated electrode. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.