Characteristics of N 2 /SF 6 mixture gas in creeping discharge developing in narrow gap with backside electrode

The flashover voltage with a backside electrode was found to be lower than that without the backside electrode. Under microsecond pulse voltage application, we describe the characteristics of a creeping discharge developed in the narrow gap with the backside electrode. Using a CCD camera and ultrahigh‐speed camera, we observed the corona extension processes. The lowest flashover voltage was found to be obtained at positive polarity with a SF 6 content D = 3%. In the corona extension obtained using an ultrahigh‐speed camera, peculiar differences were observed in the corona extension process. The corona extension increased, and rapid flashover was observed at D = 3%. Using a CCD camera, small coronas were detected from the backside electrode. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 158(2): 31–38, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ). DOI 10.1002/eej.20431