Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

The use of SEM to investigate the effect of an electron beam on the optically-visible flashover treeing of MgO ceramic

  • Published:
Journal of Materials Science Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

This paper introduces the use of a scanning electron microscope (SEM) to evaluate the insulation property of insulators under electron bombardment. An SEM may be used not only to observe a surface image but also to provide a fine electron beam for charging an insulator surface simultaneously. The distribution of electric field created by the surface charging can be developed by a simple model. The increase of electric field at the surface may exceed a critical value to experience a surface breakdown/optically-visible flashover. The insulation property is evaluated by measuring the period of charging/electron bombardment, which is needed to initiate a treeing-formation (hereinafter time to flashover treeing/TTF). In this paper, under a 25 keV primary electron beam energy and for a magnification of 5000×, a 99.95% purity polycrystalline MgO specimen resulted in 7 min TTF. It was also observed that increasing the primary beam energy and the SEM’s magnification decreased the TTF. Therefore, at for a given energy and magnification, this method can be used to evaluate the insulation property of insulators under an electron beam environment.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Miller HC (1989) IEEE Trans Electr Insul 24:765

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Neuber A (1999) Appl Phys 85:3084

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Choi YS, Kim HJ, Shin BJ (2004) IEEE Trans Electron Devices 15(8):1241

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Balmain KG, Hirt W (1980) IEEE Trans Nuclear Sci NS 27(6)

  5. LeGressus C (1989) IEEE Trans Electr Insulation 27(3):472

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Sutjipto AGE, Okamoto T, Takata M (2000) Key Eng Mater 231:181

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cazaux J (1986) J Appl Phys 59:1418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Goldstein JI, Newbury DE (1992) In: Scanning electron microscopy and X-ray microanalysis. Plenum Press, New York

  9. Whetten NR, Laponsky AB (1959) J Appl Phys 30:432

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Sutjipto AGE, Okamoto T, Takata M (2000) Trans Mater Res Soc Jpn 25(1):193

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Manufacturing and Materials Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia, Jalan Gombak, Kuala Lumpur, 53100, Malaysia

    A. G. E. Sutjipto

  2. Department of Electrical Engineering, Nagaoka University of Technology, Kamitomioka-machi, Nagaoka, Niigata, 940-2188, Japan

    M. Takata

Authors
  1. A. G. E. Sutjipto
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. Takata
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to A. G. E. Sutjipto.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Sutjipto, A.G.E., Takata, M. The use of SEM to investigate the effect of an electron beam on the optically-visible flashover treeing of MgO ceramic. J Mater Sci 42, 6036–6040 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-1094-4

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-006-1094-4

Keywords

Search

Navigation