Theory of the initial stage of electric breakdown along a dielectric surface as caused by nano-second voltage pulse

Abstract

The authors consider a boundary excitation problem of electric and magnetic fields using a nano-second voltage pulse in the inter-electrode space, filled with a dielectric adjacent to air or vacuum. The field topography and its variations vs. time up to breakdown initiation are calculated. It is shown that a natural induction-caused volume charge appears on the dielectric surface. Conclusions are made as to the possibilities and mapping of this breakdown initiation.