High voltage, cross-field, gas switch and method of operation

• Main Authors: Michael, Joseph Darryl, Sommerer, Timothy John
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 26.05.2020
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; ELECTRIC DISCHARGE TUBES OR DISCHARGE LAMPS; ELECTRIC SWITCHES; ELECTRICITY; EMERGENCY PROTECTIVE DEVICES; RELAYS; SELECTORS

A high voltage gas switch includes a gas-tight housing containing an ionizable gas at a preselected gas pressure. The gas switch includes a gas-tight housing containing an ionizable gas at a gas pressure selected based upon a Paschen curve for the ionizable gas, where the Paschen curve plots breakdown voltages of the ionizable gas as a function of gas pressure multiplied by grid-to-anode distance, and where values of gas pressure multiplied by grid-to-anode distance increase over at least a portion of the Paschen curve in conjunction with increasing breakdown voltages. The gas switch also includes an anode disposed within the gas-tight housing, a cathode disposed within the gas-tight housing, and a control grid positioned between the anode and the cathode, where the control grid is spaced apart from the anode by a grid-to-anode distance selected based upon a desired operating voltage.