Electric Breakdown of Ionic Crystals

Abstract

One unsatisfactory feature of our results remains, i.e., low and erratic values were obtained with polished specimens of KBr. There was some evidence that the rather crude method of polishing used, by means of alumina in oil on a chamois leather covered tool, produced, not merely failed to remove, fairly large surface defects. It is therefore our opinion that these specimens were unsatisfactory for this reason and that the results with ground specimens of KBr are valid. Ground specimens for quartz gave the same values as polished specimens, while ground specimens of KBr gave consistent and normal values at room temperatures and above. Irreversible changes due to reduction of temperature were shown to be absent. If, therefore, the discrepancy between von Hippel and Maurer's results and 6urs is due to the ground surface of our tests, the effect must be masked at room temperature, presumably by a space charge, and manifest itself with some rapidity as the temperature is reduced from about -f 10°C to -20°C. The change in conduction phenomena which might be expected to be associated with such an effect would be a novel hypothesis and, in this connection, an exposition of the variation of conductivity with stress at different temperatures, which was measured but not described by von Hippel and Maurer, would be of great interest.It would also be of interest to know why von Hippel and Maurer consider their present results to be superior to those reported by von Hippel and Buehl, 4 which were obtained by an apparently similar method. The later results are lower by an amount corresponding to an error of some 40 percent in thickness or 100°C in temperature. An improvement in technique generally produces an increase in the values of electric strength obtained rather than a decrease. It would also be useful to know how many tests an individual point on von Hippel and Maurer's curves represents.

Statistical field theory of the transmission of nerve impulses

“…The refractory period prevents the spike from propagating backwards and, at the same time, stops the generation of further spikes, in order to fire one spike at a time. This phenomenon shows strong similarities with the concept of polaron by H. Fröhlich [22,23,24,25,26,27] which describes an electron that moves with its field of deformation (see also RP Feynman, 1954, [28,29]). In that case, the carrier together with the induced deformation can be considered as one entity: a quasi-particle called polaron.…”

Statistical field theory of the transmission of nerve impulses

“…The refractory period prevents the spike from propagating backwards and, at the same time, stops the generation of further spikes, in order to fire one spike at a time. This phenomenon shows strong similarities with the concept of polaron by H. Fröhlich [22,23,24,25,26,27] which describes an electron that moves with its field of deformation (see also RP Feynman, 1954, [28, 29]). In that case, the carrier together with the induced deformation can be considered as one entity: a quasi-particle called polaron.…”

Review and Mechanism of the Thickness Effect of Solid Dielectrics

“…The classical solid dielectric breakdown theory includes intrinsic breakdown, avalanche breakdown, thermal breakdown, and electro-mechanical breakdown, which were established by A. von. Hippel [ 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 ], H. Frohlich [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 ], and F. Seitz [ 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 , 28 ] and later refined by G. C. Garton [ 29 ], S. Whitehead [ 30 , 31 ], and J. J. O’Dwyer [ 32 , 33 , 34 ]. The classical breakdown theory mainly focuses on questions such as the difference between intrinsic breakdown and avalanche breakdown, the relation between electric breakdown strength ( E BD ) and dielectric thickness ( d ), the dependence of E BD on temperature ( T ), and the tendency of E BD in applied waveforms, etc.…”