EFFECT OF MAGNETIC-FIELD ON BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE CHARACTERISTICS OF A MULTIGAP PSEUDOSPARK

An experimental investigation of the effect of magnetic field on the b reakdown voltage characteristics of a multigap pseudospark device, wit h hydrogen gas, in a hollow anode-cathode, as well as a hallow cathode -anode configuration, is presented. The breakdown pressure at a partic ular discharge voltage increases with the increase in the applied axia l magnetic field, and the magnitude of the increase is more pronounced at lower discharge Voltages causing aright shift to the characteristi c discharge curve in both the configurations. Application of a transve rse magnetic field also resulted in a shift of the characteristic disc harge curve towards the right. The observed results are compared and d iscussed with that found for parallel electrode geometry. (C) 1997 Ame rican Institute of Physics.