Automated real-time study of the defect-induced breakdown occurring on a film-electrode system under a high electric field.

ABSTRACT

The energy storage density of a capacitor depends on its relative permittivity and breakdown strength. Breakdown of a thin film always first occurs at weak defect spots of dielectrics under a high electric field. It is of great significance to study the defect-induced breakdown of dielectrics to improve the breakdown strength of the dielectric. The majority of studies about the defect-induced breakdown only determine a certain voltage inducing the breakdown, and the single-hole breakdown spots influence the defect-induced breakdown and the intrinsic breakdown under a high electric field, which is hard to facilitate the in-depth study of improving the breakdown strength. Herein, the self-healing breakdown techniques are applied to avoid the influence of single-hole breakdown. An automated real-time testing system is used to study the defect-induced breakdown of various complex film-electrode systems, which accomplishes the temporal and spatial localization of breakdown events according to the physical chemistry characteristics of breakdowns and intelligently displays breakdown events, and detailed classification methods of the defect-induced breakdown are discussed concisely and efficiently. This real-time testing system is effective in revealing the defect-induced breakdown of various complex film-electrode systems under a high electric field, paving the way for uncovering the breakdown mechanism and studying how to improve the capacitor's breakdown strength and energy density.