This paper reviews the experimental research accomplished to date relating to catastrophic electromagnetic breakdown in certain media that are interesting for high voltage, short temporal pulse width pulsers. The authors begin with the classic work of Felsenthal and Proud and follow experimental results into the present day. The paper considers not only the experimental results of short pulse radio frequency breakdown but also the relationship with long pulse RF breakdown. The paper presents some recent measurements as well as reviewing the previous work performed in our laboratories and elsewhere.

Date Published: 28 October 1996
PDF: 11 pages
Proc. SPIE 2843, Intense Microwave Pulses IV, (28 October 1996); doi: 10.1117/12.255410

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 2843:
Intense Microwave Pulses IV
Howard E. Brandt, Editor(s)