Influence of electrode structure on breakdown characteristics of trigatron switch

Three types of electrode structures with typical electric field distribution are designed based on 600 kV SF₆ trigatron switch. The breakdown characteristics of each structure are obtained on -600 kV / 400 ns pulse generator. With analyzing electric field uniformity of each structure, it is shown that the trigger breakdown mode of the planar electrode is related to the switch work ratio, and this structure has a small trigger jitter. Spherical electrode's jitter of self-breakdown voltage is little, and it can stably work under long-time trigger breakdown mode. Conical electrode has a very unstable trigger mode, it is possibly because of is likely to be the close breakdown characteristics of the two gaps.