Chapter III the breakdown of dielectrics

Franz (1) has written (in German) a detailed review article concerning the theory of “intrinsic” electric breakdown in solids. The review, fifty-five pages in length, includes twenty-three figures and sixty literature references. Franz devotes a chapter to each of the following topics: (a) theory of electronic processes in crystalline solids, including a discussion of electronic energy states and lattice vibrations, energy exchange between electrons and lattice vibrations, impact ionization, and recombination; (b) theory of internal field emission which involves electrons which are promoted from the valence to conduction bands and from traps; (c) calculation of the distribution function for the electron energy in the conduction band in both crystalline solids at room temperature, and amorphous solids (Frőhlich, 1947); the time-dependent growth toward the steady-state distribution of the electronic energies; (d) the time-dependence of the temperature increase which arises from Joule heating due to electronic current; the critical temperature which must be reached to cause breakdown; (e) application of the theory to predict electric strengths of alkali halides, diamond, silicon, germanium, and amorphous materials.