Electric Breakdown of Glasses and Crystals as a Function of Temperature

Abstract

The effect of order and disorder upon the breakdown characteristics of ionic materials has been investigated. While the dielectric strength of the alkali-halide crystals increases steeply with temperature in the lower temperature range, the trend in glasses is found to be the opposite. A comparison of the characteristics of silica glass with quartz confirms the fact that the positive temperature coefficient of the dielectric strength is produced by the periodic structure of the crystals. Also the absolute value of the breakdown strength is appreciably increased in the disordered amorphous state. The situation is explained partly by the influence of temperature and structure upon the scattering of electrons. The increase in resistivity of metals with temperature is an analogous phenomenon.