Plasma Discharge-based Treatment to Increase the Strength of a Dielectric Surface

Numerical models exploiting the finite element method (FEM) facilitate simulation of tuned plasma discharges in an argon atmosphere. We proposed and verified chamber models and analyses of the
$Z$
and
$S$
parameters, incorporating the results in the design of methods for surface treatment in dielectrics. Utilizing plasma discharges to change the surface parameters of dielectrics embodies an effective procedure that improves the resulting level of breakdown electrical strength
$E_{b}$
during HV pulsed or AC electrical voltage tests. In the course of the research, a set of plasma treatment experiments were carried out on two different material samples, which were systematically processed and evaluated. The eventual impact of the breakdown voltage magnitude was compared and evaluated. The surface treatment of the dielectric samples was performed with a slit plasma chamber. In the first step, the surface structure was treated, and methodologies were developed to evaluate the surface changes with respect to the surface electrical strength parameters. In the second step, surface strength measurements were executed in treated and untreated samples.