Abstract
The hydrogen thyratron is a low pressure gaseous device that performs as a switch in a high power pulse circuit similar to the one shown in Fig. 7–1. Upon application of a grid pulse, the thyratron goes from the open to closed condition, thereby transferring energy from a storage system, usually a pulse forming network (PFN) or a capacitor, to a load such as a microwave tube or laser device. At the conclusion of the energy transfer, the switch goes through a recovery period during which it reverts from the closed to an open state. It is then subjected to a recharging of the energy storage system in preparation for the next cycle. This sequence of events is illustrated in Fig. 7–2 where the time dependence of the thyratron’s anode voltage is shown. The invention of the thyratron is credited to Langmuir (1918), while the development of the hydrogen thyratron has been credited to Germeshausen (1948), although as early as 1928, Hull had described the design and operation of rare gas filled thyratrons. Gilmour (1985) has published the proceedings of the Thyratron and Modulator Symposiums wherein the development of the device is detailed. Goldberg and Rothstein (1961) and Fogelson et al., (1974) have published comprehensive reviews on early thyratron development.
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Creedon, J. (1990). Design Principles and Operation Characteristics. In: Schaefer, G., Kristiansen, M., Guenther, A. (eds) Gas Discharge Closing Switches. Advances in Pulsed Power Technology, vol 2. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2130-7_14
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-2130-7_14
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