Fundamental processes affecting recovery in hydrogen thyratrons

Journal Article · Mon May 11 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.97895· OSTI ID:6650489

Braun, C G; Erwin, D A; Gundersen, M A

Experimental measurements in the positive column of wall-confined high-current hydrogen thyratron discharges show a pronounced increase in atomic hydrogen excited state populations after the end of the current pulse. The decay rate of the electron and excited state population is observed to decrease as the energy flux increases. A time-dependent collisional-radiative model is used to calculate electron and excited state densities. This model is in reasonable agreement with experimental measurements and explains the afterpulse behavior. The analysis shows that the coupling between electron and atom temperatures is an important mechanism in high-power thyratron recovery. A new method using laser-induced fluorescence to obtain time-resolved Stark broadening data for electron density measurements is presented.

• Research Organization: Departments of Electrical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0484
• OSTI ID: 6650489
• Journal Information: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 50:19; ISSN APPLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420800* -- Engineering-- Electronic Circuits & Devices-- (-1989)
COUPLING
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON DENSITY
ELECTRON TUBES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY LEVELS
EXCITED STATES
GAS DISCHARGE TUBES
HYDROGEN
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONMETALS
STARK EFFECT
THYRATRONS