Breakdown in Ceramic Capacitors Under Pulsed High-Voltage Stress

Failure in ceramic capacitors due to high-impulse voltages was investigated to determine the parameters which limit the breakdown voltage. It was found that the breakdown field strength is a function of the dielectric constant, the dielectric thickness, and the capacitor area. There was little correlation between the breakdown voltage and the rated voltage. Breakdown usually occurred at the edge of the electrodes, and only small changes in capacitance and dissipation factor resulted.