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Daniel R Plante wrote:

Y_Po wrote:

Daniel R Plante wrote:

then the empirical breakdown difference measured between thick and thin layers would vanish.

Idiot, no, they would not. Breakdown is caused by avalanche ionization of dielectric. Nano-thin dielectrics don't have avalanche ionization because there is not enough voltage in them.
Instead nano-thin capacitors start leaking current at few volts due to quantum tunneling.
And record achieved for nano-thin-film is 3000 Volt/um.

Nope. Regardless of thickness, tunneling current, etc - if "breakdown" occurs, it would have had to start at some point of nucleation. What is the nucleation point?

Stupid Idiot, tunneling does not need point of nucleation. It happens in perfectly perfect material. And if tunneling is not enough for starting breakdown (field is too low for example) then cosmic radiation would certainly start it. Then thermal ionization is too can create a pair.
You stupid idiot.

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