Experiments withUVLaser Triggered Spark GapsinaStacked Blumlein System

VeryCompact Pulsed PowerSystems canbefabricated withStacked Blumlein Lines (SBL).Thecritical component necessary tofield aviable SBLsystem istheswitch that is integrated into oneofthetwotransmission lines that forms eachBlumlein inthestack. The critical parameters oftheswitch arethecurrent inductive timeconstant, theswitch resistive phase closure time, andtheswitch closure jitter all ofwhich mustbemuchlower than thedesired load pulse risetime. Another important consideration /requirement isthemethod oftriggering theswitches inthestack, whichshould becompact andprovide highvoltage isolation while delivering veryprecise, controllable switching. Thispaper discusses switch requirements frombasic circuit analysis andtheexperimental setup, parameters, andresults ofanexperiment toinvestigate thefeasibility ofUV laser triggering ofupto40Blumlein lines inaverycompact SBL. Inaddition, themethod of fabricating averycompact SBLtransmission lines ispresented. Thenthebehavior oftheswitch parameters inthestack whenclosure isinitiated withaUV laser pulse ispresented. Specifically, thetimevarying inductance andresistance ofthelaser initiated gasdischarge channel ispresented andcompared withacircuit modeltoelucidate theswitch performance.