Formative time lags in the electric breakdown of liquid hydrocarbons

The physical processes operative in the development of electrical breakdown in a dielectric are often reflected in the time interval between the application of a d.c. voltage and the appearance of the spark. This time may include both the time required for a free electron to appear near the cathode (statistical time lag) and the time required for the spark to develop after such an electron begins to multiply by collision ionization (formative time lag). It is the latter that provides the most information about the breakdown process.