X-ray induced conduction in n -hexane at low stress

By means of a new technique for injecting charge into a dielectric liquid, conduction current and mobility values have been measured in n -hexane for stresses over the range 0-7 kv cm -1 . At low stress (<1 kv cm -1 ) the induced conduction current is shown to be space-charge-limited, but for higher stress values, the x-ray dose rate principally determines the magnitude of the current. The values obtained for both positive and negative ion mobility are considerably greater than those reported previously; it is postulated that this result arose as a result of current-induced motion of the liquid.