Abstract
Measurements of the intrinsic dielectric breakdown strength of single-crystal strontium titanate over a temperature range from −195° to +100°C and under both pulse and dc conditions are described; dc breakdown at +100°C is thermal in origin. At room temperature and at −40°C the breakdown strength is independent of duration of applied field and of sample configuration and hence may properly be termed intrinsic. At −80° and −195°C, both the values of breakdown strength and the scatter of the data depend strongly on sample configuration. The breakdown strength unexpectedly decreases with increasing temperature. Current-voltage curves show an anomalous saturation effect at low temperature. These effects may be qualitatively explained by postulating that the high electrostrictive stress causes the creation of electron trapping centers.

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