Breakdown Morphology at Gap Widths from 1 to 20 Micrometer (IMAGE)
Caption
Innovations on the microscale depend on understanding the behavior of electricity on the smallest of length scales. Scientists have a good grasp of "electrical breakdown," when electricity jumps across large gaps and creates plasma; however, researchers have had little insight into the behavior of electricity as it jumps across very small gaps until now. A team reports research that shines light on electrical breakdown for the smallest gap distances ever studied: 5 to 10 microns. Breakdown morphology at gap widths from 1 to 20 micrometer: (a)-(c) breakdown propagating along the shortest path with luminescence filling the surrounding area; (d)-(f) roughly constant path lengths regardless of gap width, which is consistent with the plateau of breakdown voltage in this region; and (g)-(i) no obvious breakdown channel arising at these smallest gap distances.
Credit
G. Meng, et al.
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