Computation Of Broadband, High-power Electromagnetic Pulse Generation From An Air Gas Avalanche Switch

A two-dimensional, electromagnetic, electron fluid computer code predicts picosecond-scale electromagnetic wave generation in a simple air avalanche switch. Similar pulses occur from kilovolts to megavolts for proper scaling of the pressure. At fixed voltage, the pulse width varies with pressure. At fixed pressure, the pulse width varies with voltage. The pulse width can be reduced to 1-2 ps by operation in the wave interference mode. In this mode, one air gap fires with a slight delay from the other air gap. This delay is some fraction of a picosecond.