High voltage two stage triggered vacuum gap

Abstract

A triggered vacuum gap tube includes an evacuated envelope with high voltage terminals at opposite ends of the envelope. The envelope is divided into two chambers by a mid-plate therein having a centrally located aperture therethrough. The first of the two chambers has an end plate mounting one of the high voltage terminals and also mounting an array of rods or electrodes which extend inwardly toward the mid-plate. The second of the two chambers also has an end plate mounting the other high voltage terminal and also having an array of rods or electrodes extending therefrom toward the mid-plate. The mid-plate has mounted therein an array of through rods or electrodes which extend in one direction into the first chamber and in the opposite direction into the second chamber. The through mid-plate mounted electrodes lie in side-by-side spaced relation with the end plate mounted electrodes in both the first and second chambers. The end plate mounted arrays of electrodes have a centrally disposed electrode with a tip which is proximate to the centrally located aperture in the mid-plate. A plasma trigger is mounted in the tip of one of the centrally disposed electrodes. When a high voltage is connected across the high voltage terminals and a trigger signal is applied to the plasma trigger, a high arc current transits the electrodes and the evacuated spaces therebetween in both the first and second chambers. The arc current occurs substantially simultaneously and has the same magnitude in both chambers.