Space charges remaining in polymers after electron beam irradiation and the role of conductivity in their decay profiles

Abstract

Five typical insulating polymers and a carbon‐loaded polyethylene were irradiated with 200‐keV electrons, and the space charge distributions remaining in the polymers were measured. When the polymer film is short‐circuited after irradiation, the amount of space charge gradually decreases monotonically. By analyzing such decay profiles, it becomes clear that the decay of the charges remaining after the irradiation is governed by the conductivity of the polymer. © 2015 Institute of Electrical Engineers of Japan. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.