阐述了Z箍缩驱动惯性聚变装置对快脉冲直线变压器气体开关的需求背景，介绍了快脉冲直线变压器气体开关技术发展的基本要求及国际研究进展，归纳了近年来主要研究成果和对当前研究有重要借鉴意义的结论，给出了提高静态稳定性、降低触发阈值和延长开关寿命的措施。介绍了气体放电的汤逊和流注理论，指出：在不大于1.5×106 Pa·cm范围内，汤逊理论完全适用于描述气体开关自击穿过程。根据巴申定律、Meek击穿判据，给出了开关气压和间距设计要点，分析了多间隙开关间隙数量和间隙的电压分布均匀性对开关自击穿电压的影响。根据触发击穿延时经验公式，归纳了降低触发电压阈值的技术途径。介绍了1维的电极熔蚀判据，并总结了减轻电极烧蚀的方法和措施。最后指出开关技术研究总体策略和方法。

The research of inertial fusion energy (IFE) based on Z pinch physics has necessitated the development of fast linear transformer drivers (LTDs). The requirements for gas switches that play a crucial role in fast LTDs are firstly presented, and the methods to attain low prefire rate, low trigger voltage and long life of the switches are described. Then the worldwide development of the fast LTD switches are summarized. Townsend and Streamer theories are briefly described to explain the switch discharge process, the switch selfbreakdown property is analyzed according to Paschen principle and Meek criterion, and the influence of the number of stages and the uniformity of voltage distribution among stages on the switch static property is presented. The measures to decrease the trigger voltage of the switches deduced from the expression of the breakdown delay time, are put forward. Some techniques for suppressing electrode e