Investigation of the switching characteristics of high-pressure subnanosecond gas dischargers with the purpose of a sharp increasing of the breakdown voltages and the switching speed

Abstract

Abstract The paper analyzes the data obtained in the subnanosecond time range on the times (t br) and speeds (V br) of switching of hydrogen diode dischargers. These data were obtained in a wide range of hydrogen pressures (p) and the degree of the discharge gap overvoltage (the length of the cathode–anode gap d) in a uniform electric field. It is shown that the reduced strength of the average electric field E br/p in the discharge gap at the moment of the beginning of the breakdown significantly decreases when the gas pressure increases from 5 atm to 50 atm. An increase in pressure from 50 atm to 60 atm leads to a sharp (by 40% ÷ 135%, depending on the d) increase in the pulse breakdown voltage (U br) and an increase in E br/p. In proportion to the growth of E br/p the switching speed V br of the discharge gas gap increases. The observed effect is explained by the change in the discharge initiation mechanisms. The limitation of U br and V br in the hydrogen pressure range from 5 atm to 50 atm occurs as a result of gas ionization by runaway electrons and the subsequent development of a multi-avalanche discharge in the volume of the discharge gap. With a further increase in pressure, the discharge develops according to the streamer type. To design ultrafast gas dischargers of the subnanosecond range intended for switching high voltages, it is necessary to select an appropriate range of working gas pressures in order to ensure the development of a streamer-type discharge.