Flashlamp Trigger Coils
The process that effects the initial ionization within a Xenon flashlamp is known as "triggering.” Triggering creates a voltage gradient in the gas of sufficient magnitude to cause ionization of the lamps. Most flashlamp applications use a trigger coil, also referred to as a trigger transformer, to produce high-voltage pulses of short duration, usually a few microseconds or less. Excelitas offers a wide array of trigger coils, that come in a variety of sizes with a high voltage output range for both external and series triggering of lamps. These trigger coils are available in various configurations and are also suitable for SMD assembly.
Excelitas offers two different types of circuits and transformers used to introduce the voltage necessary to achieve ionization – series injection triggering and external triggering with the associated coils.
External triggering uses a high voltage trigger pulse to create a thin ionized streamer between the anode and cathode within the lamp. The coupling of this voltage to the lamp can be achieved using a thin nickel wire wrapped around, or a metal stripe on the surface of the lamp envelope. These types of trigger coils are generally lighter, smaller, and less expensive than those used for series injection triggering.
Series triggering offers higher timing accuracy and is often used in combination with liquid cooled lamps in lasers. Trigger coils are typically larger, since they not only generate the HV ignition, but also must cope with lamp currents in the order of several thousand Amps.
| Part Type | Triggering Type | Sec. Voltage Max / kV Unloaded | Prim. Voltage Max / V Unloaded | Trigger Energy Max / mWs | Trigger Power max / W | Transformer Ratio | Prim. Inductance µH | Trigger Capacitor | Dimensions / mm | ||
| CZ / µF | Width | Height | Length | ||||||||
| ZS 0609-4V0A | Parallel | 5 | 250 | 2 | 0.2 | 1: 43 | 2 | 0.022- 0.068 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| ZS 1090-MZ1 | Parallel | 7 | 330 | 3 | 0.2 | 1:23 | 9 | 0.022- 0.068 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| ZS 1052 | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052-1* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052-11* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052-12* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052 AC* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052 AC-2B* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1031* | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 16 | – | 35 |
| ZS 1031-11* | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 16 | – | 35 |
| ZS 1031-15* | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 16 | – | 35 |
| ZS 1031-7A* | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 16 | – | 35 |
| ZS 1032 | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 17 | 17 | 43 |
| ZS 261816 | Parallel | 15 | 250 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 65 | 39 | 0.1- 0.22 | 18 | 16 | 26 |
| ZS 1324-20V | Parallel | 24 | 400 | 20 | 0.8 | 1:50 | 50 | 0.1 - 0.33 | 13 | – | 24 |
| ZS 1324-24V | Parallel | 24 | 400 | 20 | 0.8 | 1:54 | 35 | 0.1 - 0.33 | 13 | – | 24 |
| ZS 1324-16V-4 | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 20 | 0.8 | 1:29 | 35 | 0.1 - 0.33 | 13 | – | 24 |
| ZS 1624 | Parallel | 17 | 600 | 15 | 0.6 | 1:30 | 53 | 0.01 - 0.47 | 11 | 11 | 24 |
| ZS 1052 S HT | Parallel /SMD | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047 - 0.22 | 9 | 8 | 18 |
| STS 36 | Series | 25 | 600 | – | – | 1:44 | 33 | 0.47 – 1 | 35 | 46 | 53 |
* Also available in high temperature materials.
| Part Type | Triggering Type | Sec. Voltage Max / kV Unloaded | Prim. Voltage Max / V Unloaded | Trigger Energy Max / mWs | Trigger Power max / W | Transformer Ratio | Prim. Inductance µH | Trigger Capacitor | Dimensions / mm | ||
| CZ / µF | Width | Height | Length | ||||||||
| ZS 0609-4V0A | Parallel | 5 | 250 | 2 | 0.2 | 1: 43 | 2 | 0.022- 0.068 | 5 | 5 | 8 |
| ZS 1090-MZ1 | Parallel | 7 | 330 | 3 | 0.2 | 1:23 | 9 | 0.022- 0.068 | 8 | 8 | 9 |
| ZS 1052 | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052-1* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052-11* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052-12* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052 AC* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1052 AC-2B* | Parallel | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047- 0.22 | 8 | 8 | 16 |
| ZS 1031* | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 16 | – | 35 |
| ZS 1031-11* | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 16 | – | 35 |
| ZS 1031-15* | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 16 | – | 35 |
| ZS 1031-7A* | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 16 | – | 35 |
| ZS 1032 | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 30 | 1 | 1: 70 | 11 | 0.1- 0.47 | 17 | 17 | 43 |
| ZS 261816 | Parallel | 15 | 250 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 65 | 39 | 0.1- 0.22 | 18 | 16 | 26 |
| ZS 1324-20V | Parallel | 24 | 400 | 20 | 0.8 | 1:50 | 50 | 0.1 - 0.33 | 13 | – | 24 |
| ZS 1324-24V | Parallel | 24 | 400 | 20 | 0.8 | 1:54 | 35 | 0.1 - 0.33 | 13 | – | 24 |
| ZS 1324-16V-4 | Parallel | 20 | 400 | 20 | 0.8 | 1:29 | 35 | 0.1 - 0.33 | 13 | – | 24 |
| ZS 1624 | Parallel | 17 | 600 | 15 | 0.6 | 1:30 | 53 | 0.01 - 0.47 | 11 | 11 | 24 |
| ZS 1052 S HT | Parallel /SMD | 11 | 300 | 10 | 0.5 | 1: 36 | 20 | 0.047 - 0.22 | 9 | 8 | 18 |
| STS 36 | Series | 25 | 600 | – | – | 1:44 | 33 | 0.47 – 1 | 35 | 46 | 53 |
* Also available in high temperature materials.