Electro-optical measurements of nanosecond insulator surface flashover in vacuum
Abstract
The Pockels and Kerr effects were used in conjunction with a polarization interferometer to measure the interfacial fields having a few ns time. Insulator surface charging and cathode field enhancement occurs, followed by plasma formation randomly originated along the insulator surface. Plasma propagates and channels the electrode gap at approximately one tenth the speed of light. Insulator surfaces of + or - 45 deg orientation were observed to have higher holdoff potential than the 0 deg surface configuration. Flashover typically initiates from the cathode and propagated towards the anode for the + or - 45 deg insulator. Flashover initiates from the anode and propagates towards the cathode for the + or - 45 deg insulator surface.
- Publication:
-
Ph.D. Thesis
- Pub Date:
- December 1980
- Bibcode:
- 1980PhDT........72L
- Keywords:
-
- Electric Fields;
- Electro-Optics;
- Flashover;
- Insulators;
- Optical Measurement;
- Electric Arcs;
- Interferometers;
- Kerr Electrooptical Effect;
- Polarity;
- Electronics and Electrical Engineering