Micromachined Planar Triggered Spark Gap Switch

High voltage switches capable of operating at high speeds with high current levels are used in a variety of applications in commercial and government systems. This paper discusses the fabrication and characterization of a novel micromachined planar triggered spark gap switch. The switch provides a low cost alternative to conventional triggered spark gap switches. The structure is designed for direct integration into the strip-line geometries used in a conventional capacitive discharge unit. The geometry of the device was selected to minimize parasitic impedances associated with conventional firing circuits.