Surface Studies of Electrodes Used in Spark Gaps

Abstract

Protrusions on the surfaces of electrodes used in high voltage spark gaps lead to local field enhancements, which lower the self-breakdown voltage of the spark gap. Stainless steel, brass, and copper-tungsten electrodes have been tested in a 5-30 kV, 4-25 kA, .1- .6 Caul/shot, unipolar, pulsed spark gap with N2 gas or air. The heights and bases of variously shaped protrusions on the surfaces of these electrodes have been measured using stereo pair micrographs from a Scanning Electron Microscope.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1983
Accession Number
ADA638321

Entities

People

  • A. L. Donaldson
  • G. Jackson
  • J. Marx
  • L. Hatfield
  • M . Kristiansen
  • M. Hagler
  • R. Ness

Organizations

  • Texas Tech University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Abstracts
  • Auger Electron Spectroscopy
  • Auger Electrons
  • Chemistry
  • Diameters
  • Electron Microscopes
  • Electron Spectroscopy
  • High Energy
  • High Voltage
  • Iron
  • Materials
  • Nitrogen
  • Scanning Electron Microscopes
  • Spark Gaps
  • Spectroscopy
  • Stainless Steel
  • Tungsten

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Electrical Engineering
  • Thin Film Deposition Science.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics