Study on Insulation Breakdown Characteristics of Printed Circuit Board under Continuous Square Impulse Voltage

Quan Zhou,Xi Ouyang,Lai Xing,Taotao Xiong,Tianyan Jiang,Mingqian Wen,Ming Zhou

doi:10.3390/en11112908

Abstract

The widely distributed interconnects in printed circuit boards (PCBs) easily couple with high voltage under the action of electromagnetic pulses, which leads to insulation failure. In this study, the dielectric breakdown characteristics of four typical PCBs are studied under continuous square impulse voltage conditions. First, the electric field distribution in the four electrode models is simulated with the ANSYS software (ANSYS Maxwell 17.0). Electric field simulation results show the weak area of electric field distribution. On this basis, the possible breakdown patterns of PCB are analyzed. Second, the influence of factors, such as temperature, pulse duty ratio, interconnect insulation distance, and air pressure, on PCB breakdown voltage is studied through a breakdown test on the PCBs. Results show that the discharge between the single-layer electrodes of the PCBs is surface discharge, and the breakdown is that of a “gas–solid composite medium”. Meanwhile, the breakdown of a double-layer PCB is solid breakdown. Finally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) produced by Tescan (Brno, Czech Republic) is performed to study the carbonization channel after PCB breakdown. SEM results reveal that the PCB carbonization channel is influenced by temperature and pressure in varying degrees.

Highlights

With the development of high-density, high-integration, multi-function power electronic equipment, the insulating medium between metal tracks and layers on printed circuit boards (PCBs) is facing increasingly severe insulation problems [1]
After breakdown was scanning electron microscopy (SEM) can beon used observeInthe change the surface morphology of insulating polymer media between observed by using a scanning electron microscope, which is produced by Tescan
The surface morphology of PCB after breakdown was formation mechanism of themicroscope, carbonization channel in theby process observed by usingThe a Mira3

Summary

Introduction

With the development of high-density, high-integration, multi-function power electronic equipment, the insulating medium between metal tracks and layers on printed circuit boards (PCBs) is facing increasingly severe insulation problems [1]. On PCBs in spacecraft power systems, microwave weapons, and other fields, the insulating medium is affected by severe external factors, such as high temperature, low pressure, and electromagnetic pulse interference. Research has shown that high-power electromagnetic pulses can couple the metal interconnects in PCBs with high voltages, which can reach nearly thousands of volts, resulting in insulation failure [2,3]. The waveform of electrostatic discharge (ESD), which causes PCB insulation failure in actual operation, is randomly formed. This waveform includes sine, saw tooth, and attenuation sine waves. The insulation damage caused by ESD is difficult to simulate

Results

Discussion

Conclusion