PPPS-2013: A robust, low-inductance, low-jitter switch for petawatt-class pulsed power accelerators

摘要

Spark gap switches are integral components in pulsed power applications ranging from pulsed microwaves and flash x-ray sources to, more recently, the linear transformer drivers (LTDs) powering next-generation petawatt-class pulsed power accelerators at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) in Albuquerque, New Mexico. An LTD system uses a triggered switch to conduct current from two capacitors to form a magnetic field which accelerates particles down magnetically insulated transmission lines (MITLs). Existing spark gap switches suffer from limited lifetimes