Trigatron

It has very simple construction and in many cases is the lowest cost high energy switching option.

When switching high currents, the electrodes undergo considerable heat stress, as they are directly involved in the electric arc.

The energy for the trigger pulse is usually derived from a capacitor, which may be charged from the power source of the trigatron's own circuit.

Trigatrons are often enclosed in resin-impregnated loose-knit fabric "socks", to contain fragments if the device explodes due to internal overpressure.

For example, they were used in early radar modulators to feed the high-power pulses into the magnetrons, for use with slapper detonators, or for triggering a Marx generator.