Abstract: A spark gap system is disclosed that includes an enclosure which contains a gas medium; two rail electrodes which extend into the enclosure and which are separated from each other by the gas medium, a trigger blade which ionizes the gas medium to cause it to be a conductor between the two electrodes through a series of electrical arc channels in the gas medium, and an acoustic driver which generates a standing acoustic wave in the gas medium. The standing acoustic wave generates a pressure density profile that distributes the electrical arc channels along the wave nodes of the standing acoustic wave. This has the result of evenly distributing the electrical arc channels along the first and second rail electrodes when the gas medium is ionized, and improving the spark gap system performance.

Abstract: A plasma generator for exciting electrons in the plasma to a uniform energy evel. In a perferred embodiment, two sets of mutually perpendicular electrodes surround a container of gas, with one set being driven through a ninety degree phase shifter to establish a circularly polarized field in the space within the container. Alternative means are disclosed for launching circularly polarized RF waves into the container of gas. A desired level of uniform electron energy is achieved by establishing the proper relationship between the frequency and magnitude of the applied circularly polarized field and the mean free path of the electrons in the plasma.

Abstract: A multiconcentric coaxial cable uses three or more concentric cables to supply power to a high voltage laser with reduced waveform degradation otherwise produced by stray capacitance and inductance. Each pair of concentric conductors is in itself a coaxial line and the radius of each conductor is selected such that the characteristic impedances of the two lines it forms with the adjacent conductors are equal. Each line is charged with a polarity opposite to the adjacent lines. Polarity inverting switches are connected across the lines charged to the polarity opposite to the desired output polarity at the end of the cable opposite from the load connection. The load is connected to the outermost cable conductor of the cable. When the switches are closed the polarity of the cable sections to which they are connected reverse and the sum of the voltages on all the cable sections is applied to the self-breaking gap causing it to close and connect the load.

Abstract: The reduction of the grazing angle of electrons in an electron gun with a cathode emitting a beam of electrons which pass through a thin foil into a chamber is accomplished by geometrically tailored electron gun foil supports. One embodiment of the invention replaces the conventional rectangular shaped ribs with a set of triangular shaped ribs which produce a grazing angle A given by the equation ##EQU1## where T=the base width of the ribS=space between ribs at the baseH=height of the ribA=the angle the rib side makes with the incident electron which is perpendicular to the baseA=also the angle the electron scatters at from the rib surface.Another embodiment of the tailored foil supports entails the addition of triangular shaped caps to existing rectangular shaped ribs. The resultant reduction of the grazing angle of electrons improves the transmission efficiency of the electron gun and reduces the heat buildup on the supports and foil.

Abstract: A high efficiency pulsed ultraviolet light source is provided which comprises a flashlamp containing a noble gas, for example xenon, at low pressure, and having a pair of electrodes between which a discharge through the gas may be impressed, and an electrical pulse forming circuit connected to the flashlamp comprising a lamp resistance and high voltage source connected in series with the lamp, and a capacitor and switch connected in parallel to the lamp, the capacitor and resistance selected to minimize the total inductance of the circuit and to maximize the voltage stress on the gas contained within the lamp.

Abstract: A positive space-charge closing switch apparatus for closing electrically the gap between a pair of main electrodes with a positive ion beam that is generated by an ion plasma gun.

Abstract: It has been discovered that the transient voltage which develops on the outer sheath of a coaxial cable under pulse voltage excitation is a result of the inequality between the self inductance of the sheath and the mutual inductance between the sheath and the center conductor. The self inductance of the sheath is always less than the mutual inductance by a small amount because of the finite thickness of the sheath. By manipulating the design of the outer sheath, an equality between the sheath self inductance and the sheath to inner conductor mutual inductance can be achieved which results in a cancellation of the transient voltage on the sheath when the cable is pulsed.

Abstract: A spark gap switching device for high peak currents including a pair of main electrodes with protruding, opposing sub-electrodes, surrounded by high permeability cores typically of ferrite material. Small air gaps separate the sub-electrodes. The switch is activated by an over voltage or the like causing one of the sub-electrodes to breakover producing a flux time rate of change in the core. A voltage is induced in the non conducting sub-electrodes causing aligned pairs to rapidly increase in potential difference until one by one they all conduct.

Abstract: A solid state high voltage pulser is disclosed for providing modulation to adio frequency tubes. The use of solid state switching and a step up high voltage pulse transformer provides direct pulsing of a radio frequency tube alternately from two pulser channels. The solid state high voltage pulser utilizes a low voltage battery prime power source and primarily functions as the cathode power supply modulator for a traveling wave tube.