An investigation into the mechanisms of surface discharges

This paper reports on the results from electrostatic modelling that has enabled the electric field distribution around an advancing surface discharge to be determined. This has shown that a high permittivity substrate increases the field value within the gas in the region ahead of the advancing discharge front. The work has also confirmed that the presence of charge on the surface increases the degree of coupling between the plasma channel and the underlying dielectric surface. A circuit analysis model was also developed and this supports the predicted effect of the dielectric substrate permittivity on the development of surface discharges.