HIGH VOLTAGE BREAKDOWN STUDY.

Current results of an energy conditioning study are reported in which the energy and current available to a discharge was varied over a wide range for different electrode materials and sizes. It was found that many high energy discharges 5000 J can be endured without permanent damage, that high impedance conditioning is helpful in quickly reaching high breakdown voltage levels, that crowbarring within 500 ns is partially but not totally effective in limiting damage due to high energy discharges and that a series resistance of 5 kilohms is required to limit the damage due to high energy discharges to a negligible level. Initial design of the next phase of the experimental program, a barium contamination and energy conditioning study is discussed. Author