Effect of UV radiation on the growth and breakdown voltage of anodic oxide films on niobium

Abstract

Formation rates of anodic Nb₂.O₅ films grown under galvanostatic conditions decrease in the presence of UV radiation, unlike those grown in the absence of UV radiation. This may be due to the development of a positive space charge near the solution/oxide interface which is responsible for an increase in electronic current in the <i>film during its formation</i>. Value of breakdown voltage also increases in the presence of UV radiations. The effect of current density and resistivity of the solution upon the breakdown voltage, both in the presence and absence of UV radiation, is discussed in terms of Ikonopisov theory of breakdown voltage.