Electron trajectories in the avalanche process

Conference · Sat Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7296149

Brainard, J. P.; Anderson, R. A.

Surface flashover on solid insulators is an important breakdown mechanism in vacuum. It is believed that an electron avalanche, which occurs prior to flashover, plays a role in the breakdown mechanism. The avalanche involves electron multiplication on the insulator surface via secondary emission. Boersch, et al. have studied insulator surface charging by secondary emission, but a detailed analysis of the avalanche process is lacking. The trajectories of electrons emitted from an insulator under electrical stress in vacuum were calculated as a first step toward time-dependent numerical simulation of a secondary electron emission avalanche. Results indicate that most of the electrons strike the insulator at shallow angles of incidence with respect to the plane of the insulator surface, and that the angle of incidence depends on the incident energy when the space charge sheath of electrons above the insulator surface is taken into consideration.

• Research Organization: Sandia Labs., Albuquerque, N.Mex. (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: EY-76-C-04-0789
• OSTI ID: 7296149
• Report Number(s): SAND-77-0809C; CONF-771028-1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

200300* -- Electric Power Engineering-- Power Transmission & Distribution-- (-1989)
24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION
BREAKDOWN
CALCULATION METHODS
CURRENTS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRICAL INSULATORS
ELECTRON EMISSION
EMISSION
EQUIPMENT
FLASHOVER
NUMERICAL SOLUTION
SURFACES
VACUUM SYSTEMS