High Pressure sealed hydrogen spark switches

High Pressure hydrogen spark switches offer excellent high voltage capabilities at high repetition rates. To date their availability has been limited due to the problems of hydrogen diffusion or leakage through the switch structure. In our laboratory, we are researching a series of miniature sealed hydrogen switches for a variety of applications. In this work, we will present data for prototype switches in terms of DC hold-off voltage, hold off voltage as a function of dV/dt, and consistency of these data as a function of life of the switch. To date, prototype switches in the range of 20-30 kV DC are functioning perfectly one year after fabrication. Limited data will also be presented on repetition rate in burst mode operation. Materials selection parameters will be discussed in terms of compatibility and ease of manufacture.