The Design and Test of a Planar Multi-Gap Multi-Channel Switch

To meet the requirements of low inductance and long life for linear transformer driver (LTD), a planar multi-gap multi-channel gas switch working under atmospheric pressure is investigated in this paper. The design and configuration of the switch are introduced and analyzed in detail, including the electrical field distribution and the equivalent electrical scheme of the switch. A test circuit comprising a single discharge circuit called LTD brick and some measuring devices has been established to investigate the self-breakdown and triggered breakdown characteristics of the designed switch. The results show that reliable and stable operation of the switch is obtained at a working coefficient of 75 % in atmospheric-pressure air. In this case, the delay time is about 50 ns and the jitter is about 2 ns. The switch inductance is about 24 nH estimated according to Braginskii's model, while a switch inductance of 30 nH is obtained according to the waveform of output current and the parameters of the experimental scheme.