# How can I rectify up to 85 kV?

I've recently gotten into eletrochemistry, and I found out that if you break through $$\\epsilon_{0}\$$ with a high enough voltage you can ionize various gasses. I've already wound a 1:1250 EE core that I plan to operate at 350 kHz on a 25 V supply which should give me 31.25 kV in the arctube, but there's this problem where I think I need to rectify the output and uh, I have yet to see a 50 kV diode.

Is there a way to do it that I'm just not remembering? I thought there was a way to do that back in the vacuum tube days.

• There was. Start with 1kV AC (or whatever you CAN find a diode for) and build a Cockroft-Walton multiplier. Each diode only sees the original AC voltage. Jul 28, 2019 at 13:46
• There are rectifier stacks that can handle (say) 100kV. Forward voltage might be 120V meaning that they're 100+ individual diodes in series. Jul 28, 2019 at 13:51
• @BrianDrummond Cockroft-Walton multipliers aren't that good for high multiplication factors, if I remember right. Jul 28, 2019 at 13:51
• Good luck with that transformer not breaking down under 31kV... At 100kHZ normal insulation will not do well even if rated for 31kV. Jul 28, 2019 at 19:14
• Are you sure what you are getting into? I once had 30 kV punch through Teflon insulation that was not thick enough (supply for a MALDI TOF mass spectrometer). Jul 28, 2019 at 23:42