A compact high-current "field-distortion" gas switch with increased lifetime of sharp trigger electrode

A compact 40 kV, 80 kA low-jitter triggered gas switch of "field-distortion" type was developed. The electrode system of the switch includes two main electrodes with toroidal working surface and a disk type trigger electrode. A stable operation for a long time without degradation of dynamic parameters (time delay, jitter), which is resulted from erosion of sharp edge of the trigger electrode, was achieved by the decreasing of its diameter and removing the disk edge from zone between the tops of the main electrodes. Switch tests showed that for positive polarity of applied voltage U equal to 0.75 of self-breakdown voltage U sb and negative trigger pulse of 2/3U the total time delay including the rise time of the trigger pulse of 15 ns is about 27 ns and jitter is ≈1 ns. A stable operation of 10 simultaneously triggered switches is observed with the maximal deviation of closing time within 5 ns. No degradation of the switch parameters were registered for more than 200 pulses at switching currents of ≈60 kA in amplitude.