Multigap pseudospark switch for fair

At the GSI Helmholtzzentrum fuer Schwerionenforschung GmbH a new accelerator complex, called Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR), is under construction. Its main components are the SIS100 and SIS300 heavy ion synchrotrons. To operate their injection/extraction kicker magnet systems, modulators with pulse-forming networks (PFNs) are necessary. The PFNs will be charged to a high voltage up to 70 kV and discharged via a high-voltage switch. The switch has to handle currents up to 6 kA, pulse durations up to 7 microseconds with an overall lifetime exceeding 10 8 shots. The repetition rate is about 4 Hz and a current rise rate of at least 4*10 10 A/s is required. The only commercially available switch in this parameter range is actually a multi-gap thyratron. As an alternative, a three-gap pseudospark switch is under development at GSI. It combines the major advantages of the thyratron with its low stand-by power as a cold-cathode device, as well as its insensitivity to large current reversal.