High Voltage, Small Back-lighted Thyratrons

We report comparative studies of mini (6.3 mm diameter electrodes) and medium sized (19 mm diameter electrodes) pseudospark and back-lighted thyratron (BLT) switches. Currents greater than 9 kA, and hold-off voltages in excess of 40 kV have been achieved, the highest hold-off occurring in the smaller diameter switch. The switches are optically triggered; we consider here with helium and hydrogen fill. The results suggest that the switches can be optimized for miniaturized high voltage pulse generation, and that smaller switches have potential for compact repetitive pulsed power applications