Multiple pseudospark switch (MUPS)

A multiple pseudospark commutator was developed. Several pseudospark gaps in parallel can be synchronously ignited via triggering by a pulsed gaseous discharge with low intensity. A multiple pseudospark commutator consisting of 10 linearly disposed pseudospark gaps was integrated in a capacitor with low-inductance plates. The capacitance to be switched was 5 nF; the inductance of the circuit was 1.65 nH, the contribution of the MUPS was less than 0.5 nH. The repartition of the current among the 10 discharge channels allows a current increase rate of 2.4 times 10 to the 12th power A/s at a switched voltage of 15 kV. This is a significant improvement compared to the value of 5 times 10 to the 11th power A/s obtained with a single pseudospark gap. The current capacity of the switch increases with the number of pseudospark gaps ignited in parallel.