High voltage testing of capacitors

Compact pulsed power systems are intended to operate once, for a brief period of time. The systems may produce several tens of high-energy pulses over a few seconds. In this mode the devices "burn up". An understanding of limitations of electronic components can make an impact to design of compact pulsed power devices. It can make such devices smaller and lighter. In this work we performed high voltage testing of ceramic and thin film capacitors of different brands having nominal voltages 0.6-3 kV. Testing was carried out in the three second time mode. Experiments have shown that the breakdown voltage is about ten times more than the nominal voltage of the capacitors. Data are given for the limiting high voltage and limiting energy for each kind of capacitors. Experiments have shown that the mechanisms for the destruction of each type of capacitors have specific features. The mechanisms of failure and destruction of capacitors under the action of high voltage are discussed.