An E-Beam Controlled Diffuse Discharge Switch
Abstract
The control efficiency and the response time of electron-beam controlled diffuse discharges is to a large extent determined by atomic and molecular properties of the switch gas composition. An e-beam tetrode was used to study switch gas properties for submicrosecond opening switches. Electrical measurements were performed with various switch gas mixtures containing small amounts of electronegative gases. Of particular interest were mixtures of N20:N2 and C2F6:Ar. In both gas mixtures the resistivity increases with electric field strength. This effect is particularly strong in a mixture of 2% C2F6 in 1 atm Ar, where an increase of 25 was obtained in a reduced field strength range of 1 Td < E/N < 20 Td. The current decay times or opening times with this mixture were below 100 ns. Optical time resolved investigations of discharges in C2F6:Ar showed the occurrence of striations which were perpendicular to the discharge axis. These luminous layers in the discharge can be explained as domain formations similar to those observed in direct semiconductors as e.g. the Gunn-effect in GaAs.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1985
- Accession Number
- ADA638526
Entities
People
- D. Skaggs
- E. Strickland
- G. Schaefer
- H. Krompholz
- K. H. Schoenbach
- M . Kristiansen
Organizations
- Texas Tech University