Investigation on Novel Characterization Parameters of Surface Flashover Phenomena in Vacuum

Surface flashover in vacuum is a kind of complicated surface and interface phenomena, which seriously hamper the overall performance of many electrical and electronic devices. It has been realized that surface condition of a solid material strongly affects its flashover phenomena under high electric field. The artificial doping ingredients could change the energy distribution and the density of electron and hole traps. For adjusting the trap distribution trapping parameters, the composite material of epoxy resin intermingled with aluminum hydroxide are prepared. For each sample with different filler concentration, its trapping parameters are investigated via the isothermal current theory through measuring its surface potential after being charged. Then its surface insulation performance is tested according to the flashover voltage under pulsed excitation in vacuum. Finally the correlation between the trapping parameters and surface insulation performance is discussed