USA As Represented by Secretary of the Navy

Stuart L Moran

R Kenneth Hutcherson

Michael G Grothaus

Leonard W Hardesty

The device is a compact Marx-type generator capable of producing a high-vage burst of pulses having risetimes less than 10 nanoseconds at repetition rates up to 10 kHz. High-pressure hydrogen switches are used as the switching elements to achieve high rep-rate. A small coaxial design provides low inductance and a fast risetime. The device may be used as a high-rep-rate high-voltage trigger generator, or as a high-voltage pulse source capable of producing up to 1 MV pulses at high repetition rates.

High performance pulse generator

A high-power, high-repetition-rate spark gap switch having metal-hydride electrodes is provided The spark gap switch is configured with a trigger and two electrodes fabricated with metal hydrides. The hydride metals may be selected from a variety of alloys including iron, nickel, magnesium, and palladium based alloys. Use of these alloys for fabrication of the electrodes permits hydrogen to be absorbed into the electrode material at a density approximately that of liquid hydrogen. During operation of the switch, the increasing temperature causes hydrogen to be desorbed into cavity surrounding the switch. Whereas the increasing temperature lowers the breakdown voltage of the switch, the increasing pressure raises the breakdown voltage. The result is the switch operates at a constant breakdown voltage independent of temperature.

High-power gas switch with hydride electrodes

A triggerable, high voltage, high current, spark gap switch for use in pu power systems. The device comprises a pair of electrodes in a high pressure hydrogen environment that is triggered by introducing an arc between one electrode and a trigger pin. Unusually high repetition rates may be obtained by undervolting the switch, i.e., operating the trigger at voltages much below the self-breakdown voltage of the device.

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Fredericksburg, VA, United States of America

Stuart L Moran