Pseudospark switches for high repetition rates and high current applications

The state-of-the-art of pseudospark switch (PSS) development is reported. In addition to the replacement of thyratrons for high power applications in TE-gas-discharge lasers, PSSs have been tested at high repetition rates up to 2 kHz. In order to minimize the erosion rate and to reduce total switch inductance, multichannel PSSs with various geometrical configurations have been investigated: linear, coaxial, and radial arrangements of the parallel discharge channels. All three configurations possess distinct advantages in pulsed power technology, i.e. linear systems fit well into striplines. Beyond this, PSSs gain increasing importance in high current devices like fast pinches, plasma foci, or powerful modulators, i.e. for magnetoforming. A single-channel switch for hold-off voltages up to 30 kV at peak currents of ≈100 kA has been tested for a damped sinusoidal pulse of a 5 μs duration at a repetition rate of up to 0.2 Hz, with and without electrode cooling