Prediction of Gaseous Breakdown in Complex RF and Microwave Structures

The physics of gaseous breakdown induced by radiofrequency (RF) and microwave have been the subject of studies for a long. The breakdown of gases in high-power RF and microwave devices is undesirable because the gases are employed for withholding high electric fields. The breakdown prediction of gases induced by the electromagnetic fields can be established through theoretical calculations which may rely on assumptions or the empirical data based on experiments. This means the AC breakdown of gases are limited to canonical configurations of particular interest. However, with the significant advancement in RF and microwave electronics, it is important to explore the design challenges against plasma discharges. The onset of discharge can be obtained from the well-known Paschen curve. Setting up an experiment is expensive and time-consuming, which may lead to a significant delay in the project. A high-fidelity computer simulation, modeling an arbitrary geometry, and tracking the Paschen curve in a complex electromagnetic environment is necessary. Ansys HFSS through its Finite Element Mesh (FEM) for the full-wave EM simulations combined with the electron impact ionization of gases enables the successful prediction of plasma breakdown. A comprehensive study will be demonstrated at the conference.