Negative space charge and electric field intensity in polymeric insulators at low temperatures

The effect of negative space charge accumulation due to injection of electrons from cathode microprotrusions on the steady-state and transient electric field distributions in polymer dielectrics is discussed. An isolated microprotrusion is modeled by a spherical capacitor in which an electrode of smaller radius is the cathode. The calculations include the fact that the distribution of negative space charge depends on the rate of capture and liberation of electrons by traps, while the activation energy of this process depends on the electric field intensity. An exponential energy distribution is proposed for the traps. It is shown that significant electrical overvoltages can only appear near the cathode microtips immediately after switching on the voltage. In the course of 10⁻⁶–10⁻⁵ s, the coefficient of electrical overvoltage drops to a few units and approaches its steady-state value. The region of significant electrical overvoltage is localized, and is the same order as the dimensions of the microtip. Fiz. Tverd. Tela (St. Petersburg) 40, 1167–1172 (June 1998)