High Voltage Performance of Surface Coatings on Alumina Insulators

Alumina insulators and dielectrics are required for a variety of applications in particle accelerators. Their use in high voltage devices, both pulsed and DC, is well established as both insulation and mechanical support. In accelerator equipment the alumina is usually used in ultra-high vacuum and hence charge accumulation can be an issue, especially when the alumina is near to the beam. To address challenges regarding surface flashover and high secondary electron yield in high intensity accelerators, surface treatments and coatings are being considered. This paper presents predictions of the influence of surface coatings, on alumina insulators, upon electric field.