Light Emission before and during Prebreakdown on Polytetrafluoroethylene Surface with Metallized Electrodes under AC Voltage Application in Vacuum

Abstract

Light emission before and during electrical breakdown from the surface of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) with metallized electrodes has been investigated with ac electric field application along the polymer surface, using a photon counting method, in order to understand the initiation mechanism of the prebreakdown. Two distinct stages of light emission were observed depending on the applied voltage: a low-level stable light emission, electroluminescence (EL), before prebreakdown and an irregular intense light emission during prebreakdown. Before prebreakdown, charge injection from the electrode directly into the polymer surface layer results in EL emission and the formation of long-term electron space charges away from the electrode. The crucial factor of prebreakdown initiation is the strong modification of the local electric field near the electrode because of space charge formation in the surface layer before prebreakdown. The prebreakdown with intense light emission is initiated by detrapping the long-term trapped electrons toward the electrode via the vacuum and/or the surface layer in the positive half-cycle of ac voltage.