Electro-optic study of prebreakdown processes in deionized water

The authors describe investigations of elementary processes taking place in deionized water under strong electric fields. Special methods of diagnostics using the Mach-Zehnder interferometer as well as chronography of the processes with high space and time resolution on an electronic-optical transducer have made it possible to measure the process of electrostriction pressure setting within the gap in the weak nonuniform field and the mechanism of deionized water electric strength breaking, occurring under comparatively low electric fields and based on the near-cathode processes.<>