High-speed photography of surface flashover of solid insulators under impulse voltages in vacuum

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Abstract
Results are presented of an investigation into the flashover of glass and high‐density alumina cylinders 1.25 cm in length between uniform field electrodes in vacuum. Photographs taken with an image‐converter camera with a framing rate of 2×107 frames/sec are shown. At approximately 80% of the voltage required to produce a flashover, partial discharges occur. When the voltage applied to the gap is increased to breakdown level, the partial discharges persist as the first stage of a two‐stage arc formation. The development of the discharge is shown to be consistent with a flashover mechanism involving charging of the solid surface by electrons emitted at the cathode.

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