High field effects in solid dielectrics

High voltage solid dielectrics are employed in a wide range of electrotechnology, from video flyback transformers to transmission-class solid dielectric cables. The design criteria for the application of such dielectrics are well developed, and failure is primarily the result of unanticipated defects. In this context, a defect is anything that causes an electric field that is substantially greater than the design field. Thus the reliability of high voltage dielectrics is tied closely to high field effects, typically in microscopic volumes around defects such as asperities on a conductor or small cavities.