THE INFLUENCE OF POLARITY ON TRIGATRON SWITCHING PERFORMANCE

This paper reports on a study into the effect of trigger voltage polar ity and main gap voltage polarity on the switching performance of a pu lse charged trigatron. The four polarity combinations possible, two ho mopolarity (trigger voltage and main gap voltage of the same polarity) and two heteropolarity (trigger voltage and main gap voltage of oppos ite polarity), were studied and compared in terms of their effect upon the switching range, delay time to breakdown, jitter, and voltage col lapse time. It was found that the two heteropolarity configurations we re superior to the homopolarity configurations in terms of the above s witching characteristics, with the positive trigger/negative main gap heteropolarity configuration performing the best. The results are disc ussed, and an explanation of the influence of the polarity configurati on on switching is suggested in terms of the discharge initiation mech anisms and subsequent development.