Spark gap for pulsed gas lasers - has third electrode to reduce pulse rise-time by reducing self-inductance

摘要

This spark gap is used to discharge a capacitor through a gas laser circuit to produce very short pulses of ultra violet light. The problem with conventional spark gaps used to supply pulses of a few nano-seconds is that the self-inductance of the gap extends the pulse rise-time, thus reducing the power of the pulse. The usual rate of rise of 10 to 40 kV/nano-second can be increased to greater than 60 kV/nano-second by adding a third electrode (4) separated from the two spark gap electrodes (2,3) by an insulated substrate (1). The third electrode is connected to one of the other two. The self-inductance is then reduced from a value proportional to the width of the gap to a value proportional to the thickness of the insulated substrate.