Crossatron switch as thyratron replacement in high repetition rate, high average power modulators

Four prototype crossatron devices were evaluated with respect to their performance and lifetime in high-repetition-rate, high-average-power pulse modulators that had previously been equipped with hydrogen thyratrons. Various grid-drive, keep-alive power levels and triggering schemes were used in the tests. Switch parameters such as trigger time, anode fall time, jitter recovery time, peak di/ dt, switch efficiency, and the gas pumping effect of the discharge were observed. One crossatron prototype was also subjected to lifetime tests that accumulated tens of billions of pulses. Lifetime data are compared to those of various models tested similarly. It is concluded that the crossatron can be used as an efficient, low-jitter, high-repetition-rate closing switch for high-average-power modulators. The lifetime of the switch appears to be on a par with several thyratrons of similar rating