Transverse magnetic field voltage isolator

A voltage-isolating passageway for providing high voltage isolation between a component maintained at high DC voltage and a component maintained at a substantially lower voltage is described. The voltage-isolating passageway incorporates a transverse magnetic field across its passageway, which reduces the potential energy of charged particles (e.g., electrons) passing through the passageway. The reduction in electron potential energy reduces the energy of collisions between electrons and molecules and therefore reducing the likelihood of avalanche ionization. The voltage-isolating passageway includes a passageway and at least two magnets. The passageway has two openings and the two magnets are positioned along opposite and exterior surfaces of the passageway wherein the first and second magnets impose a magnetic field in a transverse direction with respect to a lengthwise axis of the passageway. In addition, a semi-conductive coating can be applied to the interior passageway surface to help remove potential energy from the gas that comes in direct contact with the coating.