Berlin 2005 – scientific programme
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K: Kurzzeitphysik
K 3: Pulsed Power Technologie I
K 3.2: Talk
Tuesday, March 8, 2005, 16:50–17:10, HU Senatssaal
Characterization of a High Repetition Rate Spark Gap Switch — •Hasibur Rahaman1, Jürgen Urban2, Robert Stark2, Geoff Staines2, Jürgen Bohl2, and Klaus Frank1 — 1University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Erwin-Rommel-Straße 1, 91058 Erlangen — 2Diehl BGT Defence GmbH & Co. KG, Fischbachstr. 16, 90552 Röthenbach a.d. Pegnitz
High repetition rate spark gap switches are of interest for a wide field of applications. We have studied the switching behavior of a high pressure spark gap switch with fast (ns) switching time at repetition rates up to the MHz range. The experimental setup consists of a 50 ohm coaxial spark gap sealed test chamber. Suitable measurement techniques have been adapted to measure current and voltage as well as plasma decay time during switching operation. The switch is operated at voltages up to several kilo volts and at discharge currents of several amperes. The gap distance is varied between several tens up to several hundreds of micrometers. Environmental air and electronegative gases like SF6 has been used for spark gap operation at high pressure (> 1 atm). We investigated the physical breakdown behavior in the spark gap discharge. The results show that the limiting factor for switching behavior and high repetition rate operation is the plasma decay time. Parameters such as gap distance, feeding voltage and current, charging resistance and pressure have been varied in order to optimize switching behavior of the spark gap.