RF Emission from Partial Breakdown Events and Their Classification

Electrical breakdown is a core component of Pulse Power both in its utilization and as a failure point in systems. This research is investigating the feasibility of D-dot antennas to detect and potentially identify different forms of partial electrical breakdown in a point-to-plane gap geometry. In this work, the RF emission detected by a D-dot probe during a partial breakdown event is shown to correlate with the presence of light and current using a fast-current transformer and photomultiplier tube. Additionally, the frequency components of the RF signal were measured with the use of a fast Fourier transform. Identifying these frequencies provides the potential to identify forms of partial electrical breakdown solely on the frequency makeup of the RF emissions. This research paired with a future array of D-dot probes could possibly be used to identify the nature of partial breakdowns and their location in a system by utilizing triangulation and frequency component signatures.