Triggerable Spark Gap, Switching Circuit Having a Triggerable Spark Gap, and Process for Manufacturing a Triggerable Spark Gap

Abstract

A triggerable spark gap, a switching circuit and a method for manufacturing a triggerable spark gap are disclosed. In an embodiment, a triggerable spark gap includes a trigger electrode, an adjacent electrode at the trigger electrode, a counter electrode and a gap between the counter electrode and the adjacent electrode, wherein a distance between the trigger electrode and the adjacent electrode is less than a distance between the trigger electrode and the counter electrode, wherein the distance between the trigger electrode and the counter electrode is less than a distance between the adjacent electrode and the counter electrode, wherein the counter electrode and/or the adjacent electrode includes a first phase including a first material and a second phase including a second material, and wherein the second material has a lower electron work function than the first material.

Claims

1-13. (canceled)

14. A triggerable spark gap comprising: a trigger electrode; an adjacent electrode at the trigger electrode; a counter electrode; and a gap between the counter electrode and the adjacent electrode, wherein a distance between the trigger electrode and the adjacent electrode is less than a distance between the trigger electrode and the counter electrode, wherein the distance between the trigger electrode and the counter electrode is less than a distance between the adjacent electrode and the counter electrode, wherein the counter electrode and/or the adjacent electrode comprises a first phase comprising a first material and a second phase comprising a second material, and wherein the second material has a lower electron work function than the first material.

15. The triggerable spark gap according to claim 14, wherein the first material comprises molybdenum, tungsten, chromium, copper or lanthanum, and wherein the second material comprises a heated glass paste or vitreous alkali metal or alkaline-earth metal compounds.

16. The triggerable spark gap according to claim 15, wherein the heated glass paste is a heated paste based on sodium silicate, a sheet glass, yttrium oxide, titanium, or water.

17. The triggerable spark gap according to claim 16, wherein the heated glass paste is a heated paste based on sodium silicate with a mass fraction of between 50% and 70%, a sheet glass with a mass fraction of between 10% and 20%, yttrium oxide with a mass fraction of between 1% and 5%, titanium with a mass fraction of between 1% and 5%, or water with a mass fraction of between 0.5% and 1.7%.

18. The triggerable spark gap according to claim 14, wherein the gap between the trigger electrode and the counter electrode has a width B, with 5 mmB15 mm.

19. The triggerable spark gap according to claim 14, wherein the second material is arranged between the first material and the gap, and has a thickness D, with 50 mmD200 mm.

20. The triggerable spark gap according to claim 14, wherein the trigger electrode, the adjacent electrode and the counter electrode are at least partially arranged in a hermetically sealed cavity.

21. The triggerable spark gap according to claim 20, wherein the cavity comprises nitrogen and/or a noble gas.

22. A circuit comprising: an electrical load; the triggerable spark gap according to claim 14, which is connected in series with the load; and a capacitor connected in parallel with the series circuit of the load and the spark gap.

23. A method for producing a triggerable spark gap, the method comprising: providing a trigger electrode and materials for an adjacent electrode and/or a counter electrode; providing a first material; providing a second material having a lower electron work function than the first material; and forming the adjacent electrode and/or the counter electrode by coating the first material with the second material.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein providing the second material comprises: proving the second material in form of an aqueous paste; and applying the paste onto the first material by a thick-film method.

25. The method according to claim 24, further comprising drying the paste after applying the paste.

26. The method according to claim 25, further comprising soldering the first material after drying, wherein the second material has a glass component which bonds the second material firmly to the first material by the soldering.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0054] Central functional principles and details of preferred embodiments will be explained in more detail with the aid of the appended schematic figures, in which:

[0055] FIG. 1 shows a possible arrangement of the constituents of the spark gap,

[0056] FIG. 2 shows a possible equivalent circuit of an application of the spark gap.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0057] FIG. 1 shows a possible structure of the triggerable spark gap TFS in a cross-sectional view. The adjacent electrode BE and an opposite electrode GE face one another in a cavity H. The adjacent electrode is arranged in the vicinity of a trigger electrode TE. It is possible for the adjacent electrode BE to be configured substantially rotationally symmetrically and to have a recess internally. The trigger electrode TE is arranged inside the recess and is separated and insulated from the material of the adjacent electrode BE by a dielectric material DM. There is a gap between the adjacent electrode BE and the opposite electrode GE, and between the trigger electrode TE and the opposite electrode GE. Preferably, the trigger electrode TE protrudes in the direction of the opposite electrode GE beyond the dimensions of the adjacent electrode BE. This makes it easier for the trigger electrode TE to induce an electrical discharge between the adjacent electrode and the opposite electrode GE when a corresponding signal is applied to the trigger electrode TE and a corresponding high voltage is set up between the adjacent electrode BE and the opposite electrode GE.

[0058] Correspondingly, the distance B between the trigger electrode TE and the opposite electrode GE is preferably less than the distance between the adjacent electrode BE and the opposite electrode GE. The distance between the trigger electrode TE and the adjacent electrode BE is preferably less than the distance between the trigger electrode TE and the opposite electrode GE.

[0059] The cavity H is preferably filled with a gas or gas mixture which is dielectric in the nonactivated state, which is introduced through an opening that is closed by the stopper S after production.

[0060] The opposite electrode GE has at least two constituents with a phase boundary between them. A first phase is formed by a first material M1. A second phase is formed by a second material M2. A phase boundary is correspondingly formed between the first material M1 and the second material M2.

[0061] The second material M2 is preferably arranged as a so-called thick film on the first material M1. The second material M2 is preferably arranged at those positions on the upper side of the first material M1 which are intended for charge transport during activation.

[0062] The second material M2 reduces the arc burning voltage of the spark gap. The second material M2 represents an electrode activation compound, which allows electrons to escape more readily than the first material M1. The power dissipation of the triggerable electrode is therefore reduced, and the material transport from the counter electrode GE to one or more side walls W is therefore also reduced, so that the DC isolation of the opposite electrodes is reliably ensured even after a large number of activations.

[0063] The wall or the walls W preferably consist of a dielectric material, for example a ceramic top a cover D, on which the material of the adjacent electrode BE is fastened, and a base plate BP, on which the first material M1 is arranged, may be electrically conductive and, for example, may comprise a metal or an alloy and represent the external terminals besides the terminal of the trigger electrode TE.

[0064] FIG. 2 shows one possible application of the triggerable spark gap TFS in a circuit. The triggerable spark gap TFS is connected in series with a load L. The series circuit of the load L and the triggerable spark gap TFS is connected in parallel with a capacitor K. Via a charge port LP, the capacitor may have a high voltage applied to it and be charged with corresponding charge. Via a trigger port TP, which is connected to the trigger electrode TE of the charge port, activation of the spark gap can be initiated. In this case, the triggerable spark gap becomes electrically conductive and the capacitor K releases its electrical energy in a short pulse with a high achievable current, for example a few kiloamperes, to the load.

[0065] One of the electrodes of the spark gap may be connected to a reference potential, for example ground.

[0066] The triggerable spark gap, the circuit having the triggerable spark gap, and the method for producing a triggerable spark gap are not restricted to the embodiments presented. Spark gaps having further constituents, for example, elements to improve the insulation between the adjacent electrode and the counter electrode, circuits having additional circuit elements, and methods having additional method steps are likewise included.