Space charge cartography by FLIMM: a three-dimensional approach

A technique for three-dimensional cartography of space charges profiles inside polymer insulating samples is proposed. Called focused laser intensity modulation method (FLIMM), it is derived from the well-known LIMM method, with an additional possibility of being able to focus the laser spot on the surface of the sample to be studied. The processed data is a short-circuited pyrolectric current collected between the electrodes and induced by the interaction of the charges with the periodic variations of temperature produced by the laser source. The focused aspect of our method requires a good three-dimensional modelling of the spatial evolution of this thermal gradient. Under these conditions, the treatment of the equation of heat propagation is carried out using simultaneously a double Fourier transform and Green functions. In association with the numerical simulations of this solution, a two-dimensional scanning of the beam on polyethylene test sample surfaces shows that one can get three-dimensional representations of space charge shapes with a lateral resolution lower than 10 μm and for a depth of analysis typically included in the range 1–100 μm.