IOP Groups

ICDS2004

The 8th IEEE International Conference on Solid Dielectrics, Toulouse

Arise "Sir" Fothergill

The IEEE International Conference on Conduction and Breakdown (ICSD) returned to its place of origin, Toulouse, France, in July this year, having visited seven other countries since its inception in 1983. The conference, in which the Dielectrics Group collaborated, had a record attendance of 220 people and was very professionally organised by the Laboratoire de Génie Electrique de Toulouse (LGET) of the Université Paul Sabatier under the chairmanship of Christian Laurent. (Christian has recently become an international adviser for the Dielectric Group committee.) The conference was divided into nine sessions: (1) Conduction, polarisation and breakdown, (2) Space charge and related effects, (3) Ageing, degradation and failure, (4) Materials and insulation systems, (5) Theories, methods and models, (6) Diagnostics and experiments, (7) Smart materials and composites, and two special sessions: (8) Dielectrics in power electronics and (9) Dielectrics in space environment. Invited lecturers introduced each of the sessions. There was strong representation amongst the speakers from Dielectrics Group members.

One of the main themes running through the conference was, “What’s changed over the last 20 years in dielectrics?” Clearly new measurement and condition monitoring techniques and computer modelling have led to improvements in understanding practical systems. It was also clear that advances in scientific understanding had been made (for example, in ageing processes) but there’s still a significant gap between explanation and prediction. There was also discussion of new opportunities including nano-composites and novel dielectrics. The poster sessions were significant and very lively - very much an integral part and highlight of the conference. In open sessions there was not always time for a full discussion of key developments; perhaps, this is something that the Dielectrics Group does best!

Approximately 15% of the delegates were French, with 10% each from Japan and the UK. The conference was better balanced than usual between academia, research and technology organisations, and industry. The age and sex distributions were also much improved. Eric Forster, whose name is honoured by the memorial lecture, would have been pleased to have seen so many new faces.

John Fothergill gave a tutorial workshop the day before the conference started and there were technical visits to the Airbus factory and to the LGET laboratory the day after the conference.

In the tradition of the ICSD, the conference was very friendly and useful but also fun! The Wednesday afternoon visit was to the medieval walled city of Carcassonne followed by a traditionally French banquet. The highlight of the banquet was the honouring of nine delegates, mainly drawn from the International Advisory Committee, being inducted as “Chevalier de la Dive Bouteille” (“Knight of the Divine Bottle”) of the “Ordre de la Dive Bouteille de Gaillac”. Quelle honneur!.

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