Electro-Optic Probe for Real Time and Vectorial Analysis of Partial Discharges and Breakdown

The comprehensive analysis of the processes involved in discharges requires the understanding of the associated electric field behavior. We here demonstrate the potentialities of a pigtailed electro-optic (EO) probe to perform the experimental assessment of the transients associated to discharges in several configurations. The EO probe is entirely dielectric and millimeter sized, thus leading to very low invasive measurements and allowing near field analysis. Moreover, its frequency bandwidth exceeds several gigahertz and its measurement dynamics allows measurement from less than 1 V/m up to the breakdown field. All these properties make the EO probe suitable for real time characterization of discharges.