Experimental study on high pressure hydrogen gas switch breakdown

The gas switches can be used to produce high power electromagnetic pulses with very fast risetime in the pulsed power systems such as UWB radiate systems, particles accelerators, laser drivers and so on. The hydrogen gas switches have promised in repetitive rate application for its fastest recovery feature. Experimental study on high pressure hydrogen switches is taken under pressure of 4∼13MPa and electrode gap spacing of 0.4∼1.2mm.The switch is pulse charged to more than 200kV in less than 2ns. Fast pulses with risetime less than 200ps and width less than 360ps are obtained from the output of the switches. The average breadown electric field strength is in 2∼6MV/cm. Relations between U∼d, U∼p, E∼d, and ρτ∼E/p of the H2 gaps are given and the results are discussed.