Lifetime tests on a high ohms/square metalized high crystalline polypropylene film capacitor with application to a Marx modulator

Abstract

Abstract-This paper presents accelerated lifetime tests on a polypropylene film capacitor. Experimental parameters (20% droop, 5 Hz repetition rate) simulate anticipated operating conditions encountered in the SLAC P2 Marx. Elevated film electric field stress is utilized as the acceleration parameter. Results indicate that, for the particular film of interest, a film stress of ~290 V/µm corresponds to a 10 5 hour lifetime. In addition, the voltage scaling exponent for this film is 13.1.

Final design of the SLAC P2 Marx klystron modulator

“…An initial study was conducted on the polypropylene film chosen for the cell [13]. Although it has been shown that many factors affect aging in self-healing capacitors (temperature, reverse voltage magnitude, reverse voltage frequency, etc.)…”