Using the field ionization model to describe pulsed breakdown of solid dielectrics

An evaluation technique is proposed for calculating the volt-second characteristics of the breakdown of solid dielectrics based on the field ionization model. A procedure is given for estimating the radius of the streamer head depending on the voltage and geometric characteristics of the system. The correspondence of the evaluation formulas data with the results of a model three-dimensional finite element numerical calculation is demonstrated. For some polymer materials, the parameters of the field ionization model are determined A satisfactory agreement between the volt-second characteristics obtained in the estimation calculation and the experimentally observed ones at nanosecond breakdown times is shown.