Designing electrode profiles with the equipotential method

Abstract

A good electrode design not only produces the goal electric fields, but also eliminates harmful high-field spots that can cause electrical breakdown. In this paper, we present the equipotential method to generate electrode profiles. It is a physical method. The desired field is constructed first by a set of virtual electrodes, and then the equipotential contours naturally become the electrode profiles. We will demonstrate the simple procedures to design uniform field electrodes and recessed electrodes to accommodate dielectric structures. It shows versatility and flexibility in designing electrodes of low symmetry or irregular shapes as well as in complex boundary conditions.

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