Computation of Broadband, High-Power Electromagnetic Pulse Generation from An Air Gas Avalanche Switch

Abstract

A two-dimensional, electromagnetic, electron fluid computer code predicts picosecond-scale electromagnetic wave generation in a simple air avalanche switch. Similar pulses occur from kilovolts to megavolts for proper scaling of the pressure. At fixed voltage, the pulse width varies with pressure. At fixed pressure, the pulse width varies with voltage. The pulse width can be reduced to 1-2 ps by operation in the wave interference mode. In this mode, one air gap fires with a slight delay from the other air gap. This delay is some fraction of a picosecond.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1991
Accession Number
ADA637999

Entities

People

  • D. J. Mayhall
  • J. H. Yee

Organizations

  • Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Air Gaps
  • Air Pressure
  • Bandwidth
  • Demographic Cohorts
  • Electromagnetic Pulses
  • Electromagnetic Scattering
  • Electrons
  • Energy
  • Frequency
  • Generators
  • High Voltage
  • Picosecond Time
  • Pulse Generators
  • Pulsed Power
  • Two Dimensional
  • Wave Interference
  • Waveforms

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Microwave Engineering.
  • Optical Physics and Photonics.
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics