The Study of the Breakdown Threshold of a Sub-GW, Sub-ns High-Power Microwave Pulse in Gas

Over many years, extensive research has been conducted on microwave breakdown in gases. This field has recently seen renewed interest due to the advancements in high-power microwave (HPM) sources over the past few decades [1]–[4]. A significant advancement in this field is the development of the super-radiant backwards-wave oscillator (SR-BWO), which generates HPM pulses with gigawatt-level power and sub-nanosecond durations [5]. This technology facilitates more detailed studies of gas breakdown induced by HPM sources. In this talk, we present our measurements of the breakdown threshold for sub-gigawatt, sub-nanosecond HPM pulses in various gases, including air, helium, argon, and SF
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, across a pressure range from sub-atmospheric to several atmospheres.