There is an increasing interest in synchronization of multiple spark gap switches while maintaining compact geometry, less-complex circuit, and low jitter switching performances. A study of the effect of electrical parameters on switching performances is necessary for the operation of a large number of simultaneous switches. A miniaturized trigatron switch assembly (Outer diameter: 35 mm and thickness: 5 mm) is developed and experimentally investigated for switching performance. A polyether ether ketone insulator and brass conductor electrodes are utilized due to their high insulation and solderable properties, respectively. Important switching parameters, delay time, switch time delay, jitter in delay time, discharging peak current, trigger break down time, and trigger break down voltage, are studied under four typical conditions. These four conditions are: (a) a fast trigger (FT) with normal circuit inductance (10 ns, 20 nH); (b) a fast trigger with higher circuit inductance (10 ns and 500 nH); (c) a slow trigger (ST) with normal circuit inductance (250 ns and 20 nH) and (d) a slow trigger with higher circuit inductance (250 ns and 500 nH). Subsequently, three trigatron spark gaps (4 kV, 5 kA, >100 shots, 4 nH, and 20 mΩ) are simultaneously switched within 5 ns time. Many experimental results are the first of their kind in terms of compact switch development, switching performance, and single electrical trigger based synchronization. This paper will also add a good value to presently available knowledge through systematically implementing the simultaneous switching condition for the generation of 5 kA, 50 ns current pulses. These low cost (US$40) trigatron switches can be utilized in low energy, compact pulsed power applications.

中文翻译：

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小型化触发开关的研制及其开关性能的实验研究

在保持紧凑的几何形状、不太复杂的电路和低抖动开关性能的同时，对多个火花隙开关的同步越来越感兴趣。研究电气参数对开关性能的影响对于大量同时开关的操作是必要的。开发了一种小型化的触发开关组件（外径：35 毫米，厚度：5 毫米），并对其开关性能进行了实验研究。聚醚醚酮绝缘体和黄铜导体电极分别由于其高绝缘性和可焊性而被使用。在四种典型条件下研究了重要的开关参数，延迟时间、开关时间延迟、延迟时间抖动、放电峰值电流、触发击穿时间和触发击穿电压。这四个条件是： (a) 具有正常电路电感 (10 ns, 20 nH) 的快速触发 (FT)；(b) 具有更高电路电感（10 ns 和 500 nH）的快速触发；(c) 具有正常电路电感（250 ns 和 20 nH）的慢触发器 (ST) 和 (d) 具有较高电路电感（250 ns 和 500 nH）的慢触发器。随后，三个触发间隙（4 kV、5 kA、>100 次、4 nH 和 20 mΩ）在 5 ns 时间内同时切换。在紧凑型开关开发、开关性能和基于单电触发器的同步方面，许多实验结果是同类中的首创。本文还将通过系统地实现用于生成 5 kA、50 ns 电流脉冲的同步开关条件，为目前可用的知识增加一个很好的价值。