Free electron energy during the aging of an organic dielectric under switching impulse voltages

In this work, an experimental approach to the electronic phenomena during the ageing of a metal-dielectric-metal model is performed, under the application of high impulse voltages of the form 250/2500 /spl mu/s. The outbreak of partial discharges in the above system may come as the result of impact ionization effect, and plays a very important role in the dielectric ageing procedure. The experimental results show an exponential increase of the free electron energy with the applied electric field, as a direct implication of the electron avalanche mechanism. The above energy involved with the partial discharges depends on the environmental temperature (partial discharges enhanced by temperature).