A thyratron is a gas-filled electron tube containing a hot cathode, an anode, and one or more control grids. A positive pulse on the grid triggers gas ionization, turning the tube fully on to conduct heavy currents. Once triggered, the grid loses control, and conduction only stops when the anode voltage drops to zero, making it functionally similar to a solid-state SCR.
Heard on the job
The radar transmitter uses a massive hydrogen thyratron to pulse the magnetron.
Insider tip
Hydrogen thyratrons are still used in high-power pulsed applications like radar and particle accelerators because they handle massive voltage spikes better than solid-state alternatives.
Do not mix it up with
- Thyristor: A thyristor is the solid-state semiconductor equivalent of the gas-filled thyratron tube.