High voltage subnanosecond dielectric breakdown

Summary form only given. Present day ultra wideband radiation sources produce megavolt pulses at 100's of picosecond pulsewidths. Empirical data on the breakdown characteristics for dielectric media at these short time lengths and high voltages are either extremely limited or non-existent. In support of the design of these ultra wideband sources, we are investigating the breakdown characteristics, at these voltages and time lengths, of several liquids and gases. These include air, N/sub 2/, H/sub 2/, He, SF/sub 6/, transformer oil, and freon-12.