Response Characteristics of Gas Discharge Tube to High-Power Microwave

Abstract

Gas discharge tube (GDT), as an important protective device, has been developed and employed for the protection of circuit against high-power electromagnetic energy. Accurate description of the protective property of GDT is critical for its practical applications. However, under the excitation of high-power microwave (HPM), how the GDT will respond and whether the GDT can still exhibit protective performance remain unclear. Herein, the response characteristics of GDT to HPM were studied in this article. With the increment of excitation voltage, the response time of GDT decreases exponentially, and eventually reaching about 10 ns. The suppression ratio to HPM energy can attain 90%. The dynamic breakdown voltage and arc-mode voltage continuously increase as the excitation voltage is increased. Specifically, the arc-mode voltage nearly exhibits a linearly increasing trend. Moreover, the response property of GDT to HPM was simulated by using a PSpice model. The simulations are in good agreement with the experimental results, indicating the model can be used for predicting the behaviors of GDT under the excitation of HPM.

Strong Electromagnetic Interference and Protection in UAVs

“…Adding RF front-end protection units to reduce the transmission of electromagnetic energy to the internal UAV system, such as through the use of limiting devices in the front-end of the receiver, can weaken the interference signal and protect the internal system. For instance, limiting devices such as gas discharge tubes (GDT), metal oxide varistors (MOV), and transient voltage suppression (TVS) are often used [75][76][77].…”

Analysis of Indirect Lightning Effects on Low-Noise Amplifier and Protection Design

“…The protective circuit is required to provide effective protection against lightning pulses while simultaneously minimizing any potential interference with the reception of RF signals by the LNA. Surge protection devices, including gas discharge tubes (GDT), TVS diodes, and voltage-dependent resistors (MOV), are typically incorporated for protective purposes [32]. GDT and MOV devices, despite their high power capacity, are limited by their extended response times and larger parasitic capacitance [33].…”

Experimental Study on The Performance of External Open-Circuit Failure Gas Discharge Tubes under Power-Frequency Follow Currents

“…The main deficiency of GDTs in terms of protective effects is their considerable discharge delay and unsatisfactory response sensitivity, which makes it difficult to cope with large lightning surges of wave head rising steepness. There is a follow-current problem in the lightning protection of the power supply system [16][17][18]. According to IEC61643-311, if a supply GDT creates power-frequency follow currents, it is advised that it is extinguished at the 30-phase angle once the first power-frequency current passes zero and that there be no breakdown [19][20][21].…”