Time-resolved space charge and electroluminescence measurements in polyethylene under ac stress

Time-resolved space charge (SC) and electroluminescence (EL) measurements are carried out on polyethylene films stressed under ac voltage at industrial frequency to probe injection, trapping and recombination of charge. SC is measured by pulsed electro-acoustic (PEA) technique at each zero voltage cross-over point of the ac voltage, thereby getting rid of the capacitive charge. EL is detected using photon counting techniques with a time resolution down to 50 μs. Both SC and EL exhibit a threshold response as a function of the applied voltage. Numerical values of these thresholds are in good correspondence for SC and EL measurements in every tested material. Observations are consistent with a model of bipolar injection with an unbalanced situation in positive and negative charge behavior. It is also shown that different polyethylene materials behave differently relative to the field above which the charge is detected, providing thereby a way to compare the space charge behavior of those materials under ac field.