The Characteristics of a 40 kV Multistage Spark Gap

The electrical properties of a 40 kV multistage spark gap have been studied. It is shown that the switch possesses a relatively constant delay time and jitter over the range of its operating voltage. These characteristics have been compared with those of a similar two-electrode spark gap operating under the same conditions. The comparison shows that the switch is 10 times faster than a two-electrode spark gap when operating at 80% of the breakdown voltage. A jitter time of ±3 ns has been obtained for a 40 kV multistage switch when operating in atmospheric air. Some other characteristics of the multistage switch are presented and its advantages are discussed.