Low jitter triggered spark gap with high pressure gas mixtures and Kr85

Summary form only given. A recent research effort at Texas Tech University on impulse antenna phased arrays has necessitated the need to develop a reliable high voltage, high repetition rate switch that will operate with ultra low jitter. An ideal jitter of a small fraction of the risetime is required to accurately synchronize the array to steer and preserve the risetime of the radiated pulse. A 50 Omega, 1 nF pulse forming line is charged to 50 kV and provides the low inductance voltage source to test the different gases. Triggering is provided by a solid state opening switch voltage source that supplies ~80 kV, 10 ns risetime pulses at a rep rate up to 100 Hz in burst mode. A hermetically sealed spark gap with a Kel-F lining is used to house the switch and high pressure gas. Previously, the system was successfully tested with 50 kV, 100 Hz switch operations. Gases tested include, dry air, H₂, N₂, and SF₆, as well as H₂-N₂, and N₂-SF6 gas mixtures. A discussion on switch operation time and switch gas temperature vs. jitter will be included in this paper. This paper will also discuss in detail the effects on switch jitter when different concentrations of Kr⁸⁵ gas are introduced.