2D particle-in-cell modeling of dielectric insulator breakdown

Summary form only given. The intersection of metal, dielectric and vacuum, commonly referred to as the triple point, is widely believed to be the initiation point for dielectric insulator breakdown. Theoretical work has suggested that electron emission near the triple point due to an enhanced electric field is responsible for initiating flashover in high voltage insulation systems and RF breakdown in high power microwave windows. Preliminary work using 2D particle simulation has been conducted to calculate the breakdown voltage between two parallel conductors separated by an insulator. The effect of insulator angle and conductor separation distance has been investigated. The model uses a rotated coordinate system such that the insulator surface is aligned with the numerical grid, avoiding problems of multipactor phenomena on stair-stepped surfaces. However, the influence of the numerical boundary conditions, which varies with their distance from the insulator surface, on the electric field near the triple point has not been fully understood. In this work, we improve existing simulation models in order to obtain a better understanding of the mechanisms responsible for dielectric breakdown. The particle model includes the effects of space charge, which was neglected in previous models.