Investigations on dielectric breakdown of ceramic materials

Abstract

In order to increase the knowledge of the physical mechanism involved during the dielectric breakdown of ceramic material, different experiments are performed. Samples of Al/sub 2/O/sub 3/ with different thicknesses are tested until breakdown occurs. After data analysis, electromechanical mechanism is claimed to be responsible of the observed behaviors. Complementary measurements (electrical and optical) used to confirm this assumption are presented.