Simulation of electrical damage to polymeric surfaces using laser ablation

Results are given which demonstrate the complex nature of erosion processes, and illustrate the potential use of laser ablation as a means of assessing materials for applications where localised thermal decomposition could lead to failure. Ablation has been shown to be dependent on many factors, including the chemical nature of the polymer, the presence of fillers and the thermodynamic properties of the polymer. The design of materials with better life expectancies needs to combine preventing arc formation (through changes in polymer and surface chemistry), with improving resistance to surface damage caused by discharge activity. The laser ablation technique described discriminates well between different materials, and consequently could be employed as a simple comparative technique for ranking existing candidate materials