Impulse surface flashover development associated with transient charging by explosive electron emission in vacuum

Abstract

Surface discharge on solid insulator in vacuum, which is one of the most significant issues under high electric field, prevents the development of higher voltage vacuum circuit breakers and vacuum interrupters. To clarify the mechanism of the surface discharge in vacuum, charge activities on solid insulators in the development process of the surface discharge should be investigated. By using electrostatic probes behind the alumina dielectrics and measuring fast-framing images of the surface discharge, in the present paper, we clarified that the impulse surface flashover starts in developing with explosive electron emission (EEE) on cathode, which is specific phenomenon on the electron emission site exploding due to extreme field emission current density. Experimental results revealed the characteristics of transient charging by EEE in the surface flash over development as follows: (1) the probe current due to EEE increases with the EEE inception electric field on the cathode, and also depends on the work function of the cathode material, (2) the transient charge distribution on the alumina dielectrics is determined by the EEE spot on the cathode, (3) EEE occurs several times due to the erosion and the regeneration of electron emission sites. (4) the successive EEE makes the transient charge distribution smooth on the alumina dielectrics.