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An experimental study of breakdown and pre-breakdown phenomena in liquid nitrogen (LN 2 ) is performed in this work, aiming to provide useful knowledge for the design of high voltage superconducting systems. A metallic tape subjected to pulsed heating is used as ground electrode to properly simulate the operating conditions of a quenching superconducting apparatus. Measurements of breakdown voltages between the tape and a plane electrode tied to high voltage show the strong influence of tape polarity, LN 2 temperature, and delay between heating and voltage application. Various measurements obtained with either a highspeed camera or an intensified camera allow to characterize the sequence of pre-breakdown events (i.e. liquid boiling, vapor bubble development, and streamer propagation) leading to breakdown.

Gas Insulated Substation (GIS) under High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) are becoming widely investigated with the development of DC networks. Under DC voltage, mechanism of charge accumulation on the insulation surface is of major importance since it may distort the electric field distribution. The latter directly depends on material's conduction and so, on its volume and surface conductivities. Previous work has evidenced that those properties are influenced by the temperature, the electric field and the surrounding relative humidity [1-3]. The insulation characteristics must be clarified to allow a better estimation of the electric field distribution, as well as a better insulation design.

International audience

In gas-insulated systems, the presence of solid insulators used to hold conductors at high voltage induces the presence of triple interfaces where the metal, solid insulator and gas are in contact. These regions, usually named “triple junction”, constitute weak points for the insulation, mainly due to the mismatch between permittivities of solid and gas, which induces an enhancement of the electric field. If the design of these regions is not carried out with great care, partial discharges (PDs) may appear and accelerate the ageing of the insulator. This paper deals with an experimental study of PDs in a “triple junction” electrode configuration, carried out with sensitive electrical and optical PD measurements. Experiments are done in two pure gases, nitrogen and SF6. Two discharge regimes can be observed: very small discharges (

This work reports on the relationship between structure and dielectric properties of biaxially oriented polypropylene. The morphology of semicrystalline bioriented isotactic polypropylene films is investigated using wide angle X-ray diffraction and Polarized Optical Microscopy. A b-orthorhombic structure, with a crystallinity ratio of about 46%, and “Crater” morphology of the b-form is identified. Dielectric properties are measured by Broadband Dielectric Spectroscopy over a wide temperature range (2150 to 1258C). Since the dissipation factor of the PP is very low, special care was taken to obtain valid data. Two main relaxation processes are observed: a a-relaxation peak associated to the glass transition temperature (Tg) at temperature about 278C, and a broad b*-relaxation at about 2608C, partly attributed to CH orientation. The variation of the dissipation factor versus sample thickness (from 3.8 to 11.8 mm) is correlated and partly explained by the increase of crystallinity ratio and lamella size at larger thicknesses. It comes out that the thinnest film seems perfectly meet the application requesting, namely lowest dissipation factor and highest permittivity.

International audience

International audience

This paper presents an experimental study on the influence of an aromatic additive (pyrene) on the propagation of positive filamentary streamers and breakdown in liquid cyclohexane. Experiments are carried out in point-plane gaps up to 5 cm over a wide voltage range. With pyrene, the propagation is facilitated, and thus the breakdown voltage is lowered in point-plane geometry. Streamers also become very branched, and a much larger number of filaments propagate than in pure cyclohexane. Correlated to this, a large increase of the inception voltage of fast streamers (acceleration voltage) is observed at high voltage. This fact can be explained by macroscopic electrostatic properties of streamers, which depend on their geometrical structure. When more and more filaments propagate at high voltage they shield each other, which in turn limits their tip field (and thus velocity) at a nearly constant value over a large voltage range. The propagation velocity is thus not only determined by microscopic processes at the filament heads. Consequently, it does not always constitute an adequate parameter to directly appreciate and compare microscopic propagation processes. A discussion about streamer mechanisms is also presented.

This paper presents a study of prebreakdown and breakdown phenomena under ac voltage in mineral oil in very large gaps (/spl les/80 cm). The investigations presented concern the measurement of breakdown voltages together with the recording of streamers in rod-plane and sphere-plane electrode systems, at different gap sizes. A breakdown mode specific to ac voltage is found, in which 'bursts' composed of streamers initiated at each half cycle appear. This mode leads to the lowest breakdown fields recorded under ac. Values of the average stress required for burst or direct breakdown modes are deduced from the experiments. Positive streamers are responsible for breakdown in large gaps: their propagation is easy and does not depend on the gap geometry and on the presence of particles. On the other hand, the propagation of negative streamers is quenched when not very divergent fields are used.

This paper presents an experimental study of positive streamer propagation in mineral oil, in large point-plane gaps under impulse voltage. A systematic investigation was done concerning the influence of gap distance (/spl les/35 cm), and voltage from streamer inception up to large overvoltages. The measurements presented concern breakdown voltage measurements, time to breakdown, visualization of streamers (streak and still photographs), electrical measurements (transient current, charge), light emission intensity. Streamers are characterized and then classified into different modes (2nd, 3rd and 4th modes) according to their propagation velocities up to more than 100 km/s. According to the applied voltage, transitions between modes are observed, and correlations are established between charge, shape, and streamer velocity. The physical mechanisms as well as practical consequences are then discussed.

This paper presents an experimental study of Partial Discharges and light emission with ceramic substrates embedded in silicone oil, under ac and square high voltage. Two types of ceramic materials used in power electronics modules are considered: Aluminum Nitrite (AlN) and Alumina (Al2O3). With AlN, a large light emission due to the electroluminescence of the ceramics occurs during the negative dV/dt. This phenomenon is not observed with Al2O3. With Al2O3 and silicon oil, the light emitted is only due to PDs, and recording under square voltage wave shows that PDs are more numerous and/or more intense compared to ac. Square voltage is more relevant to actual working conditions within power electronics modules than ac.

In Insulated gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) modules, ceramic substrates are used as insulation between semiconductor chips and the ground potential. The substrate, semiconductor chips and connections are covered with silicone gel to prevent partial discharges (PDs) from occurring. In this work, partial discharges are investigated on laboratory samples made of metalized substrates embedded in silicone gel and various liquids. Substrates are made of aluminum nitride (AlN), alumina (Al2O3), or glass/epoxy composite. The objective is to determine the actual origin of PDs, by changing the nature of encapsulating material and substrate. The various liquids used are first characterized using a point-plane geometry. Experiments show that a rather large discrepancy on the PD behavior can be due to the ceramic substrate itself. "Good" and "bad" substrates can be identified on the basis of PD measurements. The influence of the sample preparation (degassing procedure) is also evidenced. The main conclusion obtained in this paper shows that partial discharges do not occur within the encapsulating material, contrary to most previous hypotheses, but within pores existing in sintered ceramic materials. Changing the substrate nature has a large influence on PD behavior, whereas a modification of the encapsulating material has almost no effect.

Metalized polypropylene films are used to build power capacitors for ac voltage. The objective of this paper is to study the de-metallization processes that may occur under high electric field. A laboratory model of capacitor is first described. It allows us to visualize the de-metallization and record the corresponding capacitance loss, under various conditions of applied voltage, frequency, mechanical pressure, and gas nature. Four different de-metallization processes can be observed. The residual gas layer existing between films has a primary importance. Replacing air by nitrogen shows that the de-metallization is basically due to the oxidation of the metal.

Contact bounces are usually erratic and undesirable phenomena that greatly affect the lifetime and reliability of electrical contacts. This paper deals with bounce phenomena that are experimentally observed during DC contact make and break in a MEM switch. In such a device, the bouncing behavior cannot be explained by inertia forces that are far lower from those existing in macroscopic relays. Therefore this study aims at providing a better understanding of bounce phenomena at the nanometer scale. Experiments have been performed with a nano-indenter and an Atomic Force Microscope (AFM), both used to actuate a contact with a well controlled electrode velocity. Multiple voltage transients of several tens of ms are observed when make/break operations are performed at an extremely low velocity (few tens of nm/s). This occurs when the distance between contact electrodes is of the order of 10nm. A simple analysis of the static balance of forces shows that the electrostatic force becomes predominant at this scale, and that bounces result from a competition between the electrostatic force and the restoring force of the mobile contact. This paper highlights that in a MEMS switch a minimal actuation velocity (here 1µm/s) is required to prevent contacts from bouncing.

The reliability of electrical contacts is now the major challenge to improve the lifetime of Micro Electro Mechanical Switches. This paper investigates contact failure due to material transfer in real MEMS devices. The mechanisms of degradation observed on components have been reproduced with a good correlation on an AFM-based setup. Therefore, the importance of the closure phase and the voltage applied across the contact on the material transfer phenomenon has been highlighted with a fine quantitative analysis of the transferred volume.

This paper presents an experimental study of the initiation of positive streamers under step voltage in point-plane geometry, in a number of hydrocarbon liquids. The experimental conditions (point tip radius, pulse risetime, gap length) were strictly controlled in order to take valid measurements of the initiation fields and threshold propagation voltages of streamers. Transient currents associated with the initiation of positive streamers were recorded down to the /spl mu/A range with a sensitive differential measurement technique. The different current shapes obtained in the liquids studied are presented. The measured inception fields of positive streamers and propagation thresholds of filamentary streamers are discussed according to the properties of the liquids (ionization potentials and mobility of charge carriers). >

This paper presents an experimental study of the propagation of prebreakdown phenomena in transformer oil, in large point-plane gaps (5 to 20 cm), in positive polarity under step and ac voltages. The prebreakdown phenomena are characterized via the simultaneous recordings of transient currents, charges, photocurrents, and high-speed photographs of the emitted light. In these experimental conditions, prebreakdown phenomena in oil are basically composed of weakly luminous branched filaments, most of the time not connected to the point electrode, and propagating continuously. Bright luminous fast discharges reilluminate periodically the main branch of the propagating discharge from the point electrode to the extremity of these weakly luminous filaments. Below the breakdown voltage, streamers stop at an average length which increases linearly with the voltage. Above a critical length, they cannot stop any more and lead to breakdown. The main propagation velocity remains constant throughout the propagation. These observations, which present a number of similarities with leader phenomena in gases, are then discussed. >

Aluminium nitrite (AlN) or alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) substrates are widely used in power electronics modules, due to their ability to provide both electrical insulation, and heat conduction properties. A silicon gel usually covers the substrate, semiconductor chips, and bondings to prevent partial discharges (PD) from occurring within the module. However, at high voltage PDs can be observed in high electric field regions, mainly at the sharp edges of copper tracks on the substrate. In this study, we try to determine the origin of these PDs. Phase resolved PD recordings (PRPD) and optical visualization at very high sensitivity are carried out on substrates embedded in gel or insulating liquids. PD features are very different from those obtained in needle-plane geometry in gel or liquid, and do not depend on the nature of the liquid or gel. The main conclusion is that PDs recorded with substrates originate from the ceramic material itself, due to the presence of numerous μm-sized pores in sintered materials.

International audience; An integrated solution for the galvanic isolation between power transistors and their control unit is presented in this paper. This solution is based on a monolithic integration of a photodetector within a power MOSFET without any modification of its fabrication process. This photoreceiver can be associated with a monolithic driver to drive high side switches. Exhaustive characteristics for several integrated photodetectors are presented and discussed: quantum efficiency, step response, small signal analysis and sensitivity to the High Voltage MOSFET's Drain. The results of this analysis are photoreceivers with a Full Width at Half Maximum above 300MHz and a responsivity above 0.15A/W at a wavelength of 500nm. This leads to an integrated low power and high bandwidth optical isolation.

This paper presents an experimental study of the inception of positive streamers in point-to-plane geometry under pulsed voltage. The different pre-breakdown events (slow and filamentary streamers) are characterized via sensitive transient current recordings, obtained using a new differential measurement technique described in the text. The roles of the tip radius, voltage pulse rise time, gap distance and hydrostatic pressure are systematically investigated in two liquids, cyclohexane and pentane. We found two parameters to characterize inception of both streamer types in a liquid: a unique initiation field for slow and filamentary streamers (depending slightly on the point tip radius of curvature); and a threshold propagation voltage for filamentary streamers (depending on the gap distance). There is also a critical point-tip radius above which no slow streamers are observed. It is shown that the initiation field and the propagation threshold can be accurately determined only in very specific conditions, namely below the critical point-tip radius and with fast rise time voltage impulses (about 10 ns). The presence of a gaseous phase in the initiation process is identified via the influence of hydrostatic pressure. Finally, the significance of the critical point-tip radius and that of the propagation voltage of filamentary streamers are discussed by comparison between the streamer and a conducting filament.

Ester-based insulating liquids are considered today for electrical insulation in medium and high voltage transformers. The main advantages expected are their non-toxicity, excellent biodegradability, and fire resistance. Esters can be either of natural origin or synthetic. In this work, we present a study of prebreakdown and breakdown properties at high voltage and large gaps in several natural and synthetic esters, and a comparison with the well-know mineral transformer oil. This study is focused on the study of streamer propagation in large gaps up to 10cm. Compared to mineral oil, the transition to fast streamers in esters occurs at much lower voltage. Measurements also show no difference between esters, whatever their origin, viscosity, etc. From these results, it appears that the properties of esters are less favorable for very high voltage insulation than in mineral oil: once triggered, streamers are able to propagate very quickly to breakdown at lower voltage. In consequence, esters show a lower resistance to fast transients such as the standard lightning impulse.

Aluminium nitrite (AlN) or alumina (Al 2 O 3 ) substrates are widely used in power electronics modules, due to their ability to provide both electrical insulation, and heat conduction properties. A gel layer usually covers the substrate, semiconductor chips, and bondings to prevent partial discharges (PD) from occurring within the module. However, at high voltage PDs can be observed in high electric field regions, mainly at the sharp edges of copper tracks on the substrate. In this study, we try to determine the origin of these PDs. Phase resolved PD recordings (PRPD) and optical visualisation at very high sensitivity are carried out on substrates embedded in gel or insulating liquids. PD features are very different from those obtained in needle-plane geometry in gel or liquid. The main conclusion is that PDs of low amplitudes probably originate from the ceramic itself, due to the presence of numerous µm-sized pores in sintered materials.

This paper discuss the relations between laboratory studies of breakdown precursors in liquids (usually called "streamers"), and practical applications such as high voltage insulation of power transformers and testing of liquids. The conditions existing within high voltage power transformers (ac voltage, moderately divergent electric field, presence of insulating solids, particles in the oil, etc.) are rather different from those frequently used in the laboratory to study streamers (very divergent field -point-plane geometry-, and impulse voltage). Parameters such as field geometry, voltage waveform, liquid conditioning, can influence either streamer inception or propagation. After a short presentation of streamer phenomena in liquids, the most important effects of these parameters are recalled in this paper. Many features previously observed empirically by the measurement of breakdown voltage can be explained by the behaviour of streamers in conditions close to those actually present in transformers. It remains rather difficult today to model and predict streamer properties (initiation fields, propagation length, velocity, ...) when the liquid nature is changed. The large variety of physical processes involved during initiation and propagation, and the non-linearity of many processes make the study of breakdown in liquids complex. However, knowledge about streamers is helpful to define and measure parameters of practical importance (initiation and propagation conditions), providing a more scientific basis to test and compare the properties of liquids.

This paper presents an experimental study of pre-breakdown discharges in water (usually called ldquostreamersrdquo) and transient breakdown arcs (called ldquosparksrdquo) generated by high voltage pulses, in relation with their potential application to degrade organic molecules for depollution purposes. An experimental set-up is described using semiconductor high voltage switches to produce high voltage pulses. In a point-plane gap, depending on the high voltage pulse duration, either streamers alone or streamers followed by a transient breakdown arc can be produced. Electrical measurements provide data correlated to streamer and spark processes: current, charge, power, and dissipated energy. Coupled to these electrical measurements, the degradation of 4-chlorophenol and 4-nitrophenol molecules is studied by HPLC measurements. It is reported that the energy yield for the degradation of these products is higher when sparks are used instead of streamers.

Silicone gels are widely used to encapsulate power electronics modules. The objective of this paper is to study the partial discharge (PD) mechanism in a silicone gel, using electrical measurements and fast visualization. Experiments are carried out in a pointplane geometry, using either impulse voltage or ac. Under impulse voltage, the visualization shows that the first discharges recorded in a new sample are due to the initiation and propagation of "streamers", with features close to those previously reported in viscous liquids. Under ac, a stable PD regime rapidly establishes: a streamer creates a cavity with a long lifetime, and PDs occur in this cavity during the subsequent ac waves. Since slow streamers develop during long times (some ms), classical PD measurements do not provide an adequate evaluation of the actual discharge magnitude: very small PDs (1 pC) are recorded, whereas large cavities with a total charge in excess of 10 pC are actually present in the gel. When PDs are repeated permanent degradations of the gel rapidly occur, showing the limited self-healing capabilities of silicone gels.

Rape-seed oil is considered for electrical insulation at high voltage. In this work, breakdown and streamer propagation in rape seed oil are studied in point-plane gaps up to 20cm, under impulse voltage of both polarities. In both polarities, two main streamer types are observed: "slow" streamers with a velocity of about 2km/s, and much faster streamers up to 150km/s. Compared to mineral oil in the same conditions, fast streamers in rape-seed oil appear at much lower voltage. They are able to propagate over large distances within a short time at moderate voltage. From these results, it is concluded that the properties of streamers in rape-seed oil are less favorable for high voltage insulation than in mineral oil.

In order to increase the knowledge of the processes involved during the degradation of insulating silicone gels under ac stress, recordings of the activity of partial discharges (PD) are performed. Silicone gels are commonly used for the insulation and packaging of high voltage semiconductors such as IGBT modules. We worked on a commercially available dielectric silicone gel. Electrical and optical apparatus allows the measurement of PD's and their location, either on actual power module substrates, or in a point-plane gap. The temperature dependence of PD inception voltage is moderate, while the number of PD's and their charge steeply increases versus temperature. We show that the formation of cavities constitutes the main factor responsible for the degradation under ac conditions. The actual self-healing capabilities of silicone gels are also studied and discussed.

This paper presents a study of streamer inception and propagation in point-plane and semi uniform-geometry. The latter is constituted of parallel plane electrodes, with a thin triggering point of calibrated size attached at the centre of one. By reducing the length of the point, it is possible to move progressively from a point plane geometry to a quasi uniform geometry. The initiation and propagation of streamers is impeded due to the presence of a metallic plane behind the triggering point, that reduces the field on the metallic tip and on propagating streamers. The propagation of negative streamers is quenched, whereas filamentary positives are less affected.

This paper presents a study of prebreakdown phenomena in mineral oil under impulse voltage, in point-plane gaps up to 10 cm. In highly overvolted gaps, the measurements show that above a critical voltage, a large increase in propagation velocity is recorded (from 2 to 100 km/s), correlated to large modifications in the streamer shape and charge. This phenomenon is analysed by modelling streamers as conducting objects of various shapes, calculating the charges and fields by a charge simulation method, and comparing them to measurements. The good agreement obtained shows that streamers behave as good conductors, and that the transition between streamer modes strongly depends on the "electrostatic" properties of streamers.

This paper presents a summary of the introductory lecture to be presented at the 1996 ICDL on the particular problem of prebreakdown phenomena in long liquid gaps (centimeters to decimeters). The specific topics developed concern the characterisation of the propagation of positive discharges in mineral oil, including a description of the various propagation modes, together with the study and modelling of their gaseous nature and electrical properties.

This paper describes a study of streamer inception in mineral oil under ac voltage conditions with rod or point electrodes. Positive and negative streamer inception frequencies versus voltage have been investigated in gaps up to 40 cm with different concentrations of cellulose particles. Streamer inception is determined by the field at the rod extremity. Initiation fields decrease with increasing rod radii and when cellulose particles are added.

The two general specifications required for plasma-based ion implantation are low pressure, large size plasmas and high voltage high current pulse generators. In addition, pulses with rise and fall times of the order of the inverse ion plasma frequency and with much longer durations than those of the inverse ion plasma frequency are most often required. To fulfill these requirements, a new type of high voltage generator using a pulse transformer has been developed. A “mettglass”® magnetic core is used as step-up pulse transformer. Voltage at the primary is provided by transistor switches which can achieve rise and fall times of less than 1 μs and maximum pulse currents of 100 A. The primary of the transformer consists of 96 turns wired in parallel and the secondary of 96 turns wired in series. The performances reported with this pulse generator were obtained on a test resistor and then on a substrate immersed in a plasma.

The generation, growth, and collapse of vapor bubbles in purified cyclohexane under a high divergent electric field was studied as a function of hydrostatic pressure (105–1.2×107 Pa). In these experimental conditions a very fast and localized energy injection (10−10–10−8 J) occurs as a consequence of electron avalanches, and the liquid is raised to a supercritical state. Below the critical pressure of the liquid, a vapor bubble is created. In this paper we present a time‐resolved optical study of its dynamics which is shown to be controlled by inertial forces. The transition to a streamer phenomenon is also investigated and discussed.

Power module reliability can be increased if problems due to high electric fields can be better understood. This paper proposes a global analysis using finite element simulations. Results are confirmed thanks to optical detection of partial discharge localization. Solutions to reduce field reinforcement are proposed and discussed. A discussion of maximum electric field handled by insulation gel is also provided.

This paper presents an experimental study about the influence of electrode geometry on streamer propagation in overvolted gaps in transformer oil. Experiments concern the measurements of time to breakdown and streamer visualization, either in point-plane or in semi-uniform gaps (parallel plates with a triggering point). Results show that the transition between propagation modes remarkably depends on the electrode configuration. It is concluded that this transition is determined by the "macroscopic" field distribution surrounding the streamer.

This paper presents a study of slow positive streamers in cyclohexane under impulse voltage. A high sensitivity differential technique is used to record the streamer charge, together with high speed visualization. At voltages below the breakdown voltage, streamers stop while the voltage is still applied. It is shown that the first event preceding stopping is the hydrodynamic collapse of streamer filaments close to the point. This collapse "propagates" from the point to the streamer head, and the streamer then totally disappears. As soon as the streamer collapse starts, the streamer current is stopped, no more electrical energy is supplied, and liquid vaporization ceases. However, the streamer head still propagates at a reduced velocity. These observations constitute a direct evidence of the influence of space charges and electric field (i.e. electrostatic pressure) on propagation processes.

This paper presents an experimental study of the propagation of positive and negative streamers in mineral oil at large distances (up to 35 cm) in point-plane geometry under impulse voltage. This study of prebreakdown phenomena in oil at large distances has permitted establishment of the following facts: i) in positive polarity, phenomena are qualitatively similar to those observed at shorter distance - no transition or discontinuity of events due to an increase of the distance to 35cm has been observed; ii) in negative polarity, breakdown voltages in divergent fields in mineral oil under long duration impulses remain higher than in positive polarity for distances up to 35 cm. In this polarity prebreakdown phenomena present many qualitative similarities with those observed in positive polarity (continuously luminous propagating head, periodic reilluminations).

Presents an experimental study of streamer inception and propagation in benzyltoluene. In the liquid, positive filamentary streamers get a very specific shape: at low voltage, they are constituted of a single filament propagating up to the plane electrode. When the voltage is increased, the number of filaments emanating from the point increases, but both their stopping length and the probability to reach the plane electrode paradoxically decrease. Thus, over some voltage range, the breakdown probability decreases when the voltage is raised. This unusual effect can be explained from the shape of streamers: due to the electrostatic interactions between filaments, the field at their head decreases when their number increases as the voltage is raised.

We present a study of breakdown and prebreakdown phenomena (streamers) in liquid nitrogen under quasi uniform electric field, under ac and impulse voltage. Streamers preceding breakdown are studied by high speed visualization and recording of emitted light, with hydrostatic pressure up to 0.5 MPa. In these conditions, breakdown is mainly due to negative streamers initiated at lower voltage than positives. This result is in contrast with previous measurements carried out in point plane gaps: in this geometry breakdown is due to positive streamers since their propagation is much easier. It is also shown that the ratio of impulse to ac breakdown voltage in LN2 is surprisingly low, close to 1. Practical consequences for the design of high voltage insulation in superconducting systems are then discussed.

Today, high voltage power semiconductors such as IGBTs, are being developed. As the voltage is increased, local electric fields applied to dielectric materials also increase. Local deterioration of dielectric materials due to partial discharges (PD) may appear and affect the reliability of the whole component. The usual way to detect PD's under ac voltage via electrical measurements is no longer applicable with the pulsed voltage wave shape encountered in power semiconductor applications. This paper presents investigations carried out with optical measurements of PD's in silicone gels, in a typical IGBT module structure. In addition, a very faint light emission is detected below the PD inception voltage. This light can presumably be attributed to an electroluminescence phenomena, such as previously reported in solids or aromatic liquids, and can constitute a non destructive technique that allows to detect the existence of local high fields in the gel.

This paper presents a study of prebreakdown phenomena in mineral oil under impulse voltage (up to 500 kV) in point-plane geometry, with gap distances up to 30 cm. In these experiments, we have studied the behaviour of positive streamers in highly overvolted gaps (up to four times the breakdown voltage). The experiments presented concern the visualization with a still or streak camera, the recording of transient currents, light emission, and electric charge associated to the propagation of streamers. The influence of voltage and gap distance is presented for positive streamers. The measurements show that above a critical voltage, a large increase in propagation velocity is recorded (from 2 km/s up to about 100 km/s), correlated to large modifications in the shape, currents, light and charge recordings.