Repetitive Nanosecond-Pulse Breakdown in Tip–Plane Gaps of Air

Abstract

Repetitive pulsed power is becoming an important area of high-power technology. Dielectric failure data concerning electrical insulation play a basic role, but breakdown has been inadequately studied for the repetitive nanosecond-pulse conditions. This paper is concerned with the breakdown characteristics of tip–plane gas gaps under repetitive burst conditions at variant repetition rates (rep-rates) and diverse gap distances. The relationship among applied voltage, breakdown time lag, number of applied pulses to breakdown, repetitive pulse stress time, and rep-rates is presented. The experimental results presented show that breakdown polarity dependence is not distinct. The data also indicate that significant concentrations of excited particles and residual charges would be formed during the consecutive nanosecond pulses and would present a memory effect that affects the development of gas breakdown. In addition, the detachment of negative ions, cathode collision of positive ions, and deexcitation of metastable species can provide the source of avalanche-initiating electrons.