
P e rk inE lm e r
Optoelectronics
page 3
The trigger transformer circuit must
be capable of providing a small sus-
taining current, typically, a few tens
of milliamperes for reliable triggering.
the characteristic “ring down” of con-
duction current is used to compute
circuit impedance. The circuit is
mechanically designed to yield the
lowest possible overall inductance
and resistance. Excluding the CVR,
a typical circuit resistance is 60
milliohms. Circuit inductance can
vary from 30 to 50 nH.
Transfer Characteristics
For the GP-486 the operating range
(E-E) is 2.0 to 4.0 kV with a minimum
trigger voltage (VT(OC)) open circuit
of 2.0 kV. Static Breakdown Voltage
(SBV) is 4.5 kV. Trigger mode is "C" -
positive trigger and positive opposite
electrode (OE). Changing polarities
will result in changes in operating
characteristics. The triggered spark
gap operating range is shown in
Figure 3.
Life
End of life is determined by changes
in the gap’s performance due to elec-
trode erosion or gas cleanup. Prefire
(firing without a trigger signal) or fail-
ure to fire (no fire with trigger applied)
are typical symptoms determining
end of life.
Life test data indicate reliable firing on
many gaps after 2000 shots at 6000
amps peak current for 200 ns pulse
width at 3.5 kV and load of 0.25
ohm. Life will be reduced with higher
peak currents.
0.020
0.010
(0.51)
T
3.0 MIN.
(76.2)
0.105
±
0.010
(2.67)
3.0 MIN
(76.2)
0.267
±
0.010
(6.78)
0.41 MAX (10.4)
0.130
±
0.015
(3.30)
0.415
0.015
(10.54)
0.415
0.015
(10.54)
AE
0.270
±
0.010
(6.06)
0.610 (15.5)
MAX
0.335 (8.5)
MAX
0.098 (2.50)
MAX
3.0 (76.2)
MIN
0.267
0.010
(6.78
±
0.254)
0.278
±
0.010
(7.01
±
0.25)
0.370
±
0.005
(0.94
±
0.13)
0.064/0.120
1.63/3.05
0.563 (14.30)
MIN
0.040
±
0.003
(1.016)
0.015
±
0.005
(0.38
0.13)
(2 PLCS)
0.147
±
0.015
(3.73
±
0.38)
0.050
±
0.010
(1.27
±
0.25)
0.247
±
0.020
(6.27
±
0.51)
0.040 (1.02) TYP
(2 PLCS)
0.335 (8.51)
MAX
0.247
±
0.005
(6.27)
0.319
(8.1)
MAX
0.325 MAX
(8.25)
0.025 (0.635)
0.010 (0.254)
0.314
±
0.005
(7.98)
0.437
0.010
(11.10)
0.314
0.005
(7.98)
OE
Mechanical Specifications
T — Trigger Electrode; AE — Adjacent Electrode; OE — Opposite Electrode
T
T
T
AE
OE
AE
OE
AE
OE
"same"
GP-485
GP-486
GP-488
GP-489