Space charge phenomena in partially crystalline polymers: on-line measurement of charge carrier motion under high AC-field stress

A novel experimental setup for directly measuring charge carrier injection and space charge buildup in a needle-plane arrangement under high AC fields is presented. Temperature, frequency, voltage, radius of needle tip, electrode gap, and material of the samples can be varied. First results for semicrystalline polymers reveal the occurrence of charge injection at a distinct field strength, an inception field strength of negative charge carriers that is lower than that of positive ones, and a characteristic change in storage behavior at about 500 Hz.<>