Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons™
Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®
Articles 1 - 2 of 2
Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
The Effect Of Voltage Ramp Rate On Dielectric Breakdown Of Thin Film Polymers, Anthony Thomas
The Effect Of Voltage Ramp Rate On Dielectric Breakdown Of Thin Film Polymers, Anthony Thomas
Senior Theses and Projects
Electrical insulators are used in many applications in industry, education and the home environment. They work by keeping electricity contained. They are not however perfect and under stress can become ineffective. Every insulator has a dielectric strength, a measurement of how much electrical stress it can withstand. If the material is stressed beyond that strength the material will breakdown. Electrostatic breakdown is defined as “the abrupt irreversible drop in resistivity at high fields, often accompanied by destruction of the material” (See Fig. 1) [McGraw-Hill]. The point at which the material breaks down is called the electrostatic discharge breakdown voltage, or …
Deep Dielectric Charging Of Spacecraft Polymers By Energetic Protons, Nelson W. Green, John R. Dennison
Deep Dielectric Charging Of Spacecraft Polymers By Energetic Protons, Nelson W. Green, John R. Dennison
All Physics Faculty Publications
The majority of research in the field of spacecraft charging concentrates on electron charging effects with little discussion of charging by protons. For spacecraft orbiting in the traditional LEO and GEO environments, this emphasis on electrons is appropriate since energetic electrons are the dominant species. But for spacecraft in orbits within the inner radiation belts or for interplanetary and lunar space probes, proton charging effects may also be of concern. To examine bulk spacecraft charging effects in these environments several typical highly insulating spacecraft polymers were exposed to energetic protons with energies from 1 MeV to 10 MeV to simulate …