The present invention is a spark gap capable of integrating into multiple layer semiconductor substrate packaging. The initial gap in the spark gap is solid and it can be converted into air, meaning gaseous, and the air gap is achieved by having the gap initially be filled with a solid and then running a voltage through the spark gap so that the gap explodes and the solid is replaced by an air cavity. The spark gap may be formed by initially electroplating electrodes through a dry film-based process, and then, to further close the gap between electrodes, beyond the practical limits of dry film, pigtail plating may be used. This pigtail plating may expand the electrodes and thus reduce the gap distance.

A protection device against pulsed currents intended to transmit signals having frequencies lying in a transmission frequency band. The protection device has a signal conduction path and a shielding disposed around the signal conduction path. The signal conduction path has two spark gaps mounted in series and an inductor element linking a portion of the signal conduction path situated between the spark gaps. The inductor element is linked to the shielding. The protection device is configured as a high-pass filter allowing passage over the signal conduction path of the signals having frequencies lying within the transmission frequency band.