GB1063947A - Triggerable vacuum discharge device - Google Patents

Abstract

1,063,947. Spark apparatus. GENERAL ELECTRIC CO. March 9, 1965 [April 3, 1964], No. 9969/65. Heading H1D. ' In a vacuum discharge device having a trigger electrode comprising a ceramic body 18 with a metallic layer thereon, said metallic layer having a groove therein and extending into said ceramic so as to present a pair of juxtaposed, insulated metal-ceramic boundaries between which a triggered discharge may be initiated to inject charged particles into the primary gap, said layer comprises a metal selected from yttrium, erbium, holmium, luterium, dysprosium, thulium, scandium and alloys thereof. An additional intermediate layer of molybdenum may be provided to prevent peeling. During construction seals are effected between the components in a hydrogen furnace. On cooling a quantity of hydrogen is absorbed by the metal layer. Bake-out is then effected, the remaining hydrogen removed and the envelope exhausted through a tubulation 24. The use of the metals specified permits a single bake-out at higher temperatures than the previously used layers of titanium. The copper main gap electrodes 6 and 7 are surrounded by a sputter shield 17, and the trigger gap is located in a conical recess 10 in electrode 6. In an alternative embodiment, Fig. 2 (not shown), the trigger gap is located centrally between two annular main electrodes, the trigger assembly being supported inside a cylindrical conductor attached to one of the electrodes.