Cathode Triple Junction Research Articles

Spectroscopic investigation of early light emission from anode-initiated surface flashover in vacuum

Time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy is used to explore the early development of anode-initiated flashover in vacuum. An experimental apparatus for collecting flashover self-luminosity is introduced, which enables spatially resolved light collection from regions adjacent to the anode and cathode triple junctions. The emitted light is spectrally and temporally resolved utilizing an imaging spectrograph and a fast electronic shutter camera. The first light detectable from flashovers across both Rexolite and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) insulators begins less than 10 ns prior to the flashover gap's impedance collapse and consists of faint broadband feature in primarily visible wavelengths. This suggests luminosity due to excitation in the solid, possibly occurring as a result of field emitted electrons. In the few nanoseconds leading up to and including the impedance collapse, the broadband spectrum grows in intensity and extends into the UV, eventually accompanied by a few emission lines of the insulator material. This is strong evidence that the early stages of anode-initiated flashover include surface layer breakdown of the insulator, as a contrast from cathode-initiated flashover, which is predominately an above-surface process. Spectra accumulated over longer exposures of PTFE flashovers indicate that, in the first few hundred nanoseconds after the impedance collapse, ions from the insulator material constitute the majority of the emission lines. Later, neutral and ionic metal species from the electrode contribute with similar prominence as well as molecular bands from diatomic carbon. Finally, a comparison is provided of the results of these studies to other spectroscopic investigations of vacuum flashover from the literature.

A High Vacuum, High Electric Field Pulsed Power Interface Based on a Ceramic Insulator

Improving the flashover voltage in a vacuum interface between a pulsed-power system and a vacuum region has been a goal for many years. The interface problem is difficult because of the electrical, mechanical, and vacuum issues that must be satisfied simultaneously. In this paper, according to the theories of vacuum flashover and the design rules for high electric field insulators, a ceramic insulated vacuum interface is presented. The electrostatic field along the ceramic surface was obtained by ANSYS simulations. By optimizing the field shaper and shielding rings, the electric fields were well distributed and the fields around the cathode and anode triple junctions were effectively controlled. The high voltage test was carried out on a ~40 GW, ~100-ns pulser, and results show that the vacuum interface can work stably with the hold-off voltage of 600 kV. The experimental results agree with the theoretical and simulated results. Finally, the influence of the surface treatment on the ceramic flashover characteristics was also discussed.

Estimation time delay from field emission to secondary electron emission avalanche in vacuum surface flashover

Vacuum surface flashover is the main factor limiting the development of pulsed power system. In this work, a quantitative dynamical model is built to investigate the vacuum surface flashover from field emission to secondary electron emission avalanche (SEEA). The results show that positive charges accumulating on the dielectric surface caused by field emission electrons play a dominant role when the normal electric field on the dielectric surface Edc is small. The growth of the number of positive surface charges exponentially decreases with the distance from the cathode triple junction (CTJ). With the increase in the density of positive surface charges, the growth of positive surface charges mainly depends on the secondary electrons cascade. As a result, the saturation state of Edc will first occur on the dielectric surface at a distance hundreds of micrometers from the CTJ. In addition, the effect of dielectric permittivity on positive surface charges is considered. The density of positive surface charges equals (1+εr) ε0Edc rather than 2ε0Edc. Particle-in-cell simulations are employed to verify the correctness of the theory model, and the agreement of comparisons is favorable. Furthermore, the space charge effect is discussed. When SEEA reaches saturation, electrons can significantly change the spatial distribution of the electric field.

Exploring the Basic Physical Mechanisms of Cathode- and Anode-Initiated High-Voltage Surface Flashover

Surface flashover in vacuum imposes a substantial physical limit on modern, large-scale pulsed power. One of the ramifications is a minimum size requirement for new machines, which in itself becomes a hard barrier to the modernization and improvement of existing infrastructure. Pulsed power topologies require the physical mechanisms of both anode- and cathode-initiated flashover to be considered. Originally, the geometrical implications of field emission at the cathode triple junction (CTJ) motivated the usage of configurations that avoid electrons impinging on the insulating material. This will largely suppress the cathode-initiated flashover, which is best described by the secondary electron avalanche mechanism, gas desorption, and final breakdown in the desorbed gas. It depends on the cascade growth of a conducting plasma along the length of the insulator from the cathode. Mitigating the cathode-initiated flashover typically comes at the cost of a significant field enhancement at the anode triple junction (ATJ). In a typical implementation, the anode field may be three times higher than the cathode field for a given voltage, making the corresponding anode-initiated flashover much more common than otherwise. In the case of pulsed, anode-initiated flashover, experimental evidence suggests that charge is directly extracted from the insulator resulting in the insulator taking on a net positive charge advancing the anode potential. Along with accompanying gas desorption from the surface, the potential will then propagate from the anode toward the cathode until the effective length of the gap is sufficiently reduced to support flashover. The underlying physical mechanisms of cathode- and anode-directed flashover are discussed in light of previously gathered experimental data and recent experiments with pulsed, high-gradient, anode-initiated flashover.

Flashover of insulation materials induced by electrostatic electromagnetic pulse

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to research the induced flashover laws of different insulation materials under electrostatic electromagnetic pulse, and the induced flashover characteristics of different electrode structures are further explored.Design/methodology/approachAccording to standard IEC 61000–4-2, an experimental system of electrostatic electromagnetic pulse flashover for insulation materials is established. The induction flashover laws of polytetrafluoroethylene, epoxy resin and polymethyl methacrylate surface-mounted finger electrodes under the different intensity of electrostatic electromagnetic pulse are researched. The influence of the finger electrode, needle–needle electrode and needle–plate electrode on insulation flashover was compared. Secondary electron emission avalanche (SEEA) and field superposition theory are used to analyze the experimental results of electrostatic electromagnetic pulse induced flashover.FindingsThe larger the dielectric strength of insulation materials, the more difficult flashover occurs on the surface. The field superposition enhances collision ionization between electrons and gas molecules, which leads to the insulation materials surface induced flashover easily by electrostatic electromagnetic pulse. The sharper the electrode shapes on the insulation materials surface, the stronger the electric field intensity at the cathode triple junction, more initial electrons are excited to form the discharge channel, which easily leads to flashover on the surface of the insulating material.Originality/valueThe proposed field superposition combined with the SEEA method provides a new study perspective and enables a more rational, comprehensive analysis of electrostatic electromagnetic pulse induced flashover of insulation materials. The work of this paper can provide a reference for the safety protection of spacecraft in orbit under a strong electromagnetic field environment, increase the service life of spacecraft and improve the reliability of spacecraft’s safe operation in orbit. It provides a basis for the selection of insulation materials for equipment under the different intensities of the external electromagnetic environment.

Effect of Deposited Charge on Vacuum DC Surface Flashover Under Electron Beam Irradiation

Spacecraft operating environment is rather complex, including high vacuum and energetic electron radiation. Vacuum-insulation interface is usually the weakest link of the insulation system since surface flashover usually occurs at the interface. There are several theories for surface flashover, above which the secondary electron emission avalanche (SEEA) and the electron triggered polarization relaxation (ETPR) are the mainstream. Since researchers have usually assumed that there has been a preexisting positive charge on the insulation surface, when the insulation surface is negatively charged by electron beam irradiation, these theories cannot be directly applied. In this article, the particle tracking method is used to simulate the initial and secondary electron trajectories in the initial phase of surface flashover, and to explain the influence of negative surface charge on surface flashover. The results show that: on the one hand, the negative deposited charge weakens the electric field at the cathode triple junction (CTJ), inhibits the initial electron emission, and hinders the initiation of flashover; on the other hand, the negative deposited charge repels the secondary electrons away from the insulation surface and hinders the multiplication of the secondary electrons and the development of flashover.

Design of a Compact 1-MV-Class Radial Closing Switch for Tesla Type Generator

The paper presents the development of a megavolt-class SF6-insulated radial switch. The switch is used as a crowbar in a MV Tesla-type generator to produce pulsed electric fields in very large volumes, for proof-of-concept experimentation of a novel non-invasive food processing technology. The main features of the switch include: (1) Using SF6 gas as the insulation gas; (2) a breakdown channel along the radial direction, rather than axial; (3) a compact configuration with its volume limited to 3.2 L. In order to achieve a ruggedized high voltage insulation as well as an enhanced operation safety, the following design techniques were applied: (1) Structures of the switch were well designed to minimize the local electric filed in the cathode triple junctions; (2) the grooves of surface of the insulators that enclose the switch were finely optimized to keep the surface flashover under control; (3) a prolate spheroid geometry of the high voltage electrode was adopted to achieve a better control of the gas breakdown. This paper describes in detail the design and the preliminary test of this switch.

Evolution of vacuum surface flashover for angled dielectric insulators with particle-in-cell simulation

With the introduction of the gas diffusion model, the surface flashover at the insulator–vacuum interface perpendicular to electrodes is simulated with the particle-in-cell method. The distributions of density of electrons, ions, and neutral gas molecules are obtained, which is consistent with images diagnosed in the experiment. The gas pressure at the dielectric surface near electrodes is much higher than it is at other locations. Furthermore, the processes of vacuum surface flashover for angled dielectric insulators are analyzed. The results show that negative charges will accumulate on the dielectric surface when the negative angle is large. The electric field produced by negative charges weakens the normal electric field and emission current on the cathode triple junction. Moreover, the process of secondary electron emission is completely suppressed when the negative angle is large. With the development of gas desorption, the breakdown will evolve from field emission into gas ionization. Therefore, when the angle is negative, the threshold of surface flashover first decreases then increases with the angle, which is in good agreement with laws obtained in experiments. This study can provide a deep understanding to the vacuum surface flashover.

Metal-wire-embedded alumina insulating material using micro- and nanoscale 3D printing for surface flashover mitigation in a vacuum

A micro- and nanoscale 3D printing technique is applied to fabricate a functional insulating material that mitigates surface discharge in a vacuum based on microscopic electron multipactor suppression. The proposed alumina ceramic insulator design consists of surface-embedded thin metal wires that introduce a local gradient of secondary electron emission (SEE) yield, such that the trajectories of multipactor electrons are distorted by accumulated negative surface charge and the SEE avalanche across the insulator surface becomes intermittent. Considerable increases of surface flashover threshold and surface charging reduction are verified by the experiment. Also, additional efforts are made to determine the optimal size and spatial distribution of the metal wire. A convex-shape flashover voltage trace is observed when increasing the width of the wire, suggesting a trade-off between the multipactor mitigation and the insulator strength. The wire’s position between the adjacent cathode triple junction and the middle of the insulator is proved to be favorable for flashover mitigation. The physical details of surface flashover mitigation by the proposed insulator design are revealed by an ab initio particle-in-cell simulation code, corroborating the experiment from a microscopic aspect.

Current rise phenomena due to electron emission from CTJ in vacuum

AbstractIn general, cathode triple junctions (CTJ) are regarded as electrical weakness points because of the occurrence of electron emission. It's believed that vacuum surface flashover starts from the initiation of electron emission at CTJ. Therefore, it is important to investigate electron emission phenomenon around the CTJ region. However, such a study which is direct measurement of the electron emission from CTJ has not been almost done because it is difficult to measure it directly. So, the purpose of this study is to elucidate the electron emission phenomenon from CTJ by investigating field electron emission current characteristics and charge distribution at CTJ region. Thus, we measured the electron emission current and the surface potential for the samples which CTJ was formed artificially. In addition, we simulated the electric lines of force near CTJ region. The results show that electron emission current increases due to the effect of the insulator surface being charged by the electrons emitted from the CTJ.

Vacuum surface flashover characteristics of micro-stack insulators under nanosecond pulses

In this paper, micro-stack insulators with different ratios of insulator-to-metal (I/M) and embedded micro-stacks are studied using nylon as an insulating layer and conductive silver adhesive applied as a conductive layer. The electric field of insulators with a micro-stack structure is simulated. The results show that the electric field strength decreases and the dielectric strength improves near the cathode triple junction following an increase of the I/M ratio when the micro-stack insulators have the same conductive layers. The optimal ratio is found to be 0.61 at which point the dielectric strength increases by 2.1 times. In addition, the dielectric strength of insulators was compared while the surface has been ground along two different directions respectively. the result was found to be better when the surface is polished along the Y axis direction than X axis. The experimental results can provide a technical reference for the preparation, structural design and mechanism exploration of the micro-stack insulators.

Estimation of surface flashover threshold in a vacuum II: flashover phase transition

Surface discharge in a vacuum occurs under an intense external field, also called a flashover. The flashover threshold over which the surface flashover occurs is of vital importance in the vacuum–solid interface. It is widely assumed that the flashover is initiated by a single surface multipactor and develops as a plasma discharge along a dielectric surface, namely the secondary electron emission avalanche (SEEA). Yet the SEEA model is not versatile for all practical vacuum–solid interfaces and there remain experiment results contradicting the theory predictions without a resolute answer. Here we further expand on previous theories and consider the conventional SEEA model under arbitrary field distributions. The example of a conical insulator is then given to test the validity of the SEEA model under an arbitrary field. It is found that the obtained flashover threshold is only consistent with the experiment at low cone angles where the field near the cathode triple junction is strong, while remarkable discrepancies appear when the anode field is significantly enhanced. The discrepancies can be understood if a different discharge model, i.e. an anode-initiated flashover (AIF) is included. Both particle-in-cell simulation and optical diagnostics are employed to visualize this unique discharge, which are then formalized on theoretical grounds to elucidate the early stage of the AIF. The transition between two flashover phases is then clarified. The plasma–surface interaction and sheath dynamics during the discharge are analyzed theoretically, showing distinct sheath evolutions in two flashover models. Additionally, a new factor reflecting field distortion is introduced to estimate the discharge threshold under an SEEA framework.

Vacuum surface flashover characteristics of an alumina insulator with a metalized layer

Alumina ceramics are often used as vacuum electrical device insulators owing to their excellent properties, high hardness quality, high heat resistivity, and high insulation and low gas desorption properties. As alumina is chemically stable, directly brazing it with a metal is difficult. Thus, an alumina surface is metalized using the Mo-Mn method and subsequently brazed to a metal. When a high negative voltage is applied to the alumina surface, the edge of the metalized region becomes a cathode triple junction. In this case, surface flashover can occur, which limits the equipment's surface-flashover withstand voltage. Understanding the vacuum surface-flashover characteristics that depend on the edge condition of a metalized layer is important. Herein, surface-flashover tests in vacuum were conducted using column alumina samples under different metalized-edge conditions. The results showed that the withstand voltage and conditioning speed obviously changed with the edge condition of the metalized layer.

Aging characteristics of polymeric materials by repeated surface flashovers in vacuum under microsecond pulse

Surface flashover characteristics of insulation materials in vacuum are key factors to determine the behavior of high voltage electrical equipment. Although the surface flashover in vacuum has been investigated for decades, the surface insulation properties of polymeric materials after repeated surface discharges have shown little attention by researchers. In order to investigate the aging characteristics of polymeric materials caused by repeated flashovers in vacuum, several typical materials were used to flashover by microsecond pulses. The flashover voltages were obtained for polytetrafluoroethylene, polymethylmethacrylate and polyamide for thousands of flashovers. The surface morphology of samples was observed after different numbers of flashovers. The trap parameter distribution was obtained by the isothermal surface potential decay method. To analyze the flashover voltage change with discharge times, the Weibull distribution was used to determine the conditioning and degradation effects in repeated discharge experiments. The results show that the morphology near the cathode triple junction and deep traps together affect the subsequent flashover voltage. The conditioning and degradation phenomena often coexist in the aging process of polymers and affect the surface insulation properties. This study could provide a reference for the type selection, design, and modification of insulation materials in vacuum.

Polarity Effect on Standard Lightning Impulse Surface Flashover Under Extremely Nonuniform Electric Field in Liquid Nitrogen

With the improving voltage grade for high-temperature superconducting (HTS) power devices, the surface flashover phenomenon in liquid nitrogen has become an important factor that makes the HTS devices break down. So, the study on surface flashover characteristics in liquid nitrogen has become more important. This paper studied the polarity effect of standard lightning impulse surface flashover under the extremely nonuniform electric field in liquid nitrogen by experiment. It is found that flashover voltages under positive impulses are generally higher than that under negative polarity, which is opposite to the results in gas gaps breakdown and on solid-SF6 gas and solid-transformer oil interface. By the analysis of flashover traces and electric field distribution between the triangle-plane electrodes, combining the related surface flashover theory in liquid nitrogen, it is assumed that surface flashover in liquid nitrogen is started from the electron emission from cathode triple junction. Because of the nonuniformity of electric field distribution, the initial voltages of the electron emission from cathode triple junction and the forces suffered on the head of flashover streamers have differed. It is the main reason that the polarity effect in liquid nitrogen is formed. The results could provide a reference for the dielectric design of HTS devices.

Study on the plasma generation characteristics of an induction-triggered coaxial pulsed plasma thruster

At present, spark plugs are used to trigger discharge in pulsed plasma thrusters (PPT), which are known to be life-limiting components due to plasma corrosion and carbon deposition. A strong electric field could be formed in a cathode triple junction (CTJ) to achieve a trigger function under vacuum conditions. We propose an induction-triggered electrode structure on the basis of the CTJ trigger principle. The induction-triggered electrode structure could increase the electric field strength of the CTJ without changing the voltage between electrodes, contributing to a reduction in the electrode breakdown voltage. Additionally, it can maintain the plasma generation effect when the breakdown voltage is reduced in the discharge experiments. The induction-triggered electrode structure could ensure an effective trigger when the ablation distance of Teflon increases, and the magnetic field produced by the discharge current could further improve the plasma density and propagation velocity. The induction-triggered coaxial PPT we propose has a simplified trigger structure, and it is an effective attempt to optimize the micro-satellite thruster.

Monte Carlo simulation of temporal behavior of surface charging across insulator at flashover initial stage in vacuum

The temporal behaviors of charging on insulator surface at flashover initial stage is studied under dc voltage in vacuum. It suggests that the surface charging process develops synchronously with multipactor phenomena. A saturated region is firstly formed nearby the cathode triple junction (CTJ), and the insulator surface is charged gradually from cathode toward anode as the multipactor develops forward. The surface charge density increases linearly with applied electric field, but a stronger applied electric field will slow down the charging velocity as the results of violent collisions of secondaries with dielectric surface due to the stronger normal field built by surface charges. The charging velocity mainly depends on the secondary electron yield (SEY) for dielectric, i.e., the higher SEY, the greater the charging velocity is. The emitter height from CTJ has great influence on surface charging at areas adjacent to cathode, but little effect on charging behaviors at other areas. Once the multipactor is triggered by adequate initial electrons released from cathode, the surface will be charged spontaneously even if the field emission process at cathode is terminated, implying the generation of secondary electrons turns into a self-sustaining process. This study strongly supports the speculation in our previous publications regarding the mechanisms of stable luminescence preceding flashover, which is attributed to be initialized by Fowler-Nordheim emission of electrons at CTJ and finally generated by the radiative de-excitation of excited atoms/molecules in the self-stabilizing secondary electron emission (SSEE) process.

Surface flashover performance of epoxy resin microcomposites improved by electron beam irradiation

The influencing mechanism of electron beam irradiation on surface flashover of epoxy resin/Al2O3 microcomposite was investigated. Epoxy resin/Al2O3 microcomposite samples with a diameter of 50mm and a thickness of 1mm were prepared. The samples were irradiated by electron beam with energies of 10 and 20keV and a beam current of 5μA for 5min. Surface potential decay, surface conduction, and surface flashover properties of untreated and irradiated samples were measured. Both the decay rate of surface potential and surface conductivity decrease with an increase in the energy of electron beam. Meanwhile, surface flashover voltage increase. It was found that both the untreated and irradiated samples have two trap centers, which are labeled as shallow and deep traps. The increase in the energy and density of deep surface traps enhance the ability to capture primary emitted electrons. In addition, the decrease in surface conductivity blocks electron emission at the cathode triple junction. Therefore, electron avalanche at the interface between gas and an insulating material would be suppressed, eventually improving surface flashover voltage of epoxy resin microcomposites.

The Simulation of Surface Charge Accumulation on PMMA with Different Surface Roughness in Vacuum

The surface insulation properties of insulating material under DC voltage are closely related to the characteristics of surface charge accumulation, and the surface roughness of these materials has a direct impact on the surface charge distribution in vacuum. Therefore, it is significant to study their connection. In this paper, based on the secondary electron emission avalanche model, the surface charge accumulation on polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) with different surface roughness was simulated by using particle in cell and Monte Carlo Collision method. The simulated environment was under the finger shaped electrode and in vacuum. The results showed that under the action of the electric field the electrons emitted from the cathode triple junction moved forward and collided with the insulating material, which may lead to the generation of secondary electrons or the accumulation of surface charge. The surface charge near the cathode was mostly negative since the effect of surface electron injection was greater than that of the collision ionization. Due to the change of electron energy and the influence of electric field distribution, the number of positive charge on the insulator gradually increased, reached the maximum, and then gradually reduced with the approaching of the anode. Moreover, when the surface roughness of the material increases or the secondary electron emission coefficient decreases, the amount of surface charge accumulated on the PMMA will reduce. This paper can provide some guidance for the practical application of insulating materials.

Luminescence evolution from alumina ceramic surface before flashover under direct and alternating current voltage in vacuum

The luminescence evolution phenomena from alumina ceramic surface in vacuum under high voltage of direct and alternating current are reported, with the voltage covering a large range from far below to close to the flashover voltage. Its time resolved and spatial distributed behaviors are examined by a photon counting system and an electron-multiplying charge-coupled device (EMCCD) together with a digital camera, respectively. The luminescence before flashover exhibits two stages as voltage increasing, i.e., under a relative low voltage (Stage A), the luminescence is ascribed to radiative recombination of hetero-charges injected into the sample surface layer by Schottky effect; under a higher voltage (Stage B), a stable secondary electron emission process, resulting from the Fowler-Nordheim emission at the cathode triple junction (CTJ), is responsible for the luminescence. Spectrum analysis implies that inner secondary electrons within the surface layer of alumina generated during the SSEE process also participate in the luminescence of Stage B. A comprehensive interpretation of the flashover process is formulated, which might promote a better understanding of flashover issue in vacuum.