  Maintaining the electric fields necessary for the current generation of noble
liquid time projection chambers (TPCs), with drift lengths exceeding one meter,
requires a large negative voltage applied to their cathode. Delivering such
high voltage is associated with an elevated risk of electrostatic discharge and
electroluminescence, which would be detrimental to the performance of the
experiment. The Xenon Breakdown Apparatus (XeBrA) is a five-liter, high voltage
test chamber built to investigate the contributing factors to electrical
breakdown in noble liquids. In this work, we present the main findings after
conducting scans over stressed electrode areas, surface finish, pressure, and
high voltage ramp speed in the medium of liquid xenon. Area scaling and surface
finish were observed to be the dominant factors affecting breakdown, whereas no
significant changes were observed with varying pressure or ramp speed. A
general rise in both anode current and photon rate was observed in the last 30
seconds leading up to a breakdown, with a marked increase in the last couple of
seconds. In addition, the position of breakdowns was reconstructed with a
system of high-speed cameras and a moderate correlation with the
Fowler-Nordheim field emission model was found. Tentative evidence for bubble
nucleation being the originating mechanism of breakdown in the liquid was also
observed. We deem the results presented in this work to be of particular
interest for the design of future, large TPCs, and practical recommendations
are provided.
