Laser-triggered switch results from a frequency quadrupled Nd:YAG laser
A 3MV modified PBFA trigatron switch has been successfully triggered by the 266 nm UV beam of a Nd:YAG laser in a water-insulated transmission line test facility. Focusing the 2 ns FWHM 25 +- 5 mJ laser pulse into the 65 psig SF/sub 6/ atmosphere, triggered the switch gap from 69% to 90% of the self-break voltage (V/sub SB/ approx. = 2.3 MV). The characteristic linear slope is less than 5 ns per 10% of V/sub SB/ with closure delay times less than those of the 20 ns KrF laser at twice the energy. Two data points deviating from the rest of the set increased the one-sigma jitter from 1.5 ns to 3.9 ns. More LTS data have been collected after the addition of a second trigatron which is also laser triggered. Jitters of 2.3 ns and 1.5 ns were measured for laser energies of 20 mJ or less. The initial implications are that a single 150 mJ Nd:YAG laser can satisfactorily trigger five or more switches to achieve low jitter between the modules of a particle accelerator as well as other large pulsed power devices.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Labs., Albuquerque, NM (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76DP00789
- OSTI ID:
- 6242820
- Report Number(s):
- SAND-83-0544C; CONF-830621-12; ON: DE83012871
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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ACCELERATORS
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRONIC EQUIPMENT
EQUIPMENT
LASERS
NEODYMIUM LASERS
PARTICLE BEAM FUSION ACCELERATOR
PERFORMANCE
POWER SUPPLIES
PULSES
SOLID STATE LASERS
SWITCHES