The Breakdown Voltage of a Spark Gap

The Study of Breakdown Voltages for Triggered Spark Gap Switches

This study explains the breakdown mechanism in different triggered spark gap switches. Two different trigger electrode configurations are tested for the switch predischarge operation in a nitrogen laser circuit. The behavior of the breakdown voltage, when a trigger pulse is applied to the trigger electrode, is investigated, and the results are reported. Based on the experimental measurements ne...

High Pressure Spark Gap Recovery after Overvolted Breakdown

A spark gap at pressures from 100 kPa to 7 MPa with various gases is fired by overvolting the electodes. The recovery of the gap is studied using a second identical pulse to test the voltage holdoff during the recovery period. A TV camera, interferometer and a spinning mirror camera are also used to record arc locations and density profiles. The gas is stationary during the recovery. Breakdown ...

Foreign Technology Division Voltage Breakdown of Spark Gaps in Compressed Gases

A simple high-voltage high current spark gap with subnanosecond jitter triggered by femtosecond laser filamentation

We describe a simple, sturdy and reliable spark gap operating with air at atmospheric pressure and able to switch currents in excess of 10 kA with sub-nanosecond jitter. The spark gap is remotely triggered by a femtosecond laser filament. Many applications rely on the initiation of a well controlled discharge between two charged electrodes. For high current applications, a gas-filled trigger is...

Characteristics of Spark Gap Voltage Waveforms for Air Discharges of Electrostatic Discharge Guns

To grasp the characteristics of air discharges of electrostatic discharge (ESD) guns, time-variant spark gap voltage waveforms at low charge voltages are discussed. Through the application of our proposed circuit approach using measured discharge current waveforms and frequency characteristics of an ESD–gun, the time-variant spark gap voltage waveforms for air discharges of an ESD–gun can be es...