Typical blocking I–V characteristics are shown and analyzed for PN junctions exhibiting a breakdown region above 1000 V from commercial diodes and power MOSFETs. The leakage reverse current of PN junctions from commercial silicon devices available at this time has a flowing component at the semiconductor–passivant material interface around the junction edge. Part of the plotted experimental cur...

A micro-plasma device is used as a gas sensor. The micro-plasma device produces dc discharges with a parallel-plane electrode configuration. In this paper the breakdown voltage is measured for argon with tin oxide electrodes, for three different electrode distances (0.01 cm, 0.025 cm and 0.05 cm) and for pressure between 1.3 kPa and 13.3 kPa. The effective secondary electron emission coefficien...

In present scenario high voltage AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) on Si substrate with Schottky drain contacts were simulated to increase the breakdown voltage by replacing the conventional Ohmic drain contacts. A significant increase in breakdown voltage values was achieved for nonannealed Schottky contacts by elimination of metal spikes underneath drain electrodes. The bre...

The Corona Current in air gaps influences the values of the breakdown voltage of the air gaps greatly. This happens because the corona current changes the field distribution in the gap making it less inhomogeneous. Thus the value of the breakdown voltage increases and becomes bigger as the value of the corona current increases. A major result of this phenomenon is the appearance of the Polarity...

The current vs. voltage and electrical breakdown behavior for devices with micron and sub-micron gaps between conductors is studied. The limitations of the well-known but often-misinterpreted Paschen curve are discussed. The little-known modified Paschen curve, that includes field emission effects so important in understanding breakdown behavior for devices with sub-micron gaps, is described. C...

High demands on low-voltage electronics have increased the need for zinc oxide (ZnO) varistors with fast response, highly non-linear current-voltage characteristics and energy absorption capabilities at low breakdown voltage. However, trade-off between breakdown voltage and grain size poses a critical bottle-neck in the production of low-voltage varistors. The present study highlights the synth...

Experimental Study of degradation of oil impregnated paper has attracted enormous attention over the past 20 years worldwide. Outside the controlled conditions of the laboratory, however the real situation is more complex due to loading change, ambient temperature, fluctuation and sudden impulse impact. Therefore, interests in forensic examinations of scrapped old transformers have increased in...