A plasma power limiter (14, 142, 50; 14, 142, 100) comprising: a signal substrate (52; 104) having a first side and a second side, said signal substrate (52; 104) including a signal-in line formed on the first side of the signal substrate (52; 104), a signal-in via (80; 114) extending through the signal substrate (52; 104) and being electrically coupled to the signal-in line, a signal transmission line (84; 118) formed on the second side of the signal substrate (52; 104) and being electrically coupled to the signal-in via (80; 114), a signal-out via extending through the signal substrate (52; 104) and being electrically coupled to the signal transmission line (84; 118) and a signal-out line formed on the first side of the signal substrate (52; 104) and being electrically coupled to the signal-out via; and a trigger substrate (54; 102) having a first side and a second side, said trigger substrate (54; 102) being bonded to the signal substrate (52; 104) so as to form a hermetically sealed cavity (58; 112) where the second side of the signal substrate (52; 104) faces the second side of the trigger substrate (54; 102) within the cavity (58; 112), said trigger substrate (54; 102) including at least one trigger probe (70; 122) extending from the second side of the trigger substrate (54; 102) into the cavity (58; 122) towards the signal transmission line (84; 118), said cavity (58; 112) being filled with an ionizable gas, said at least one trigger probe (70; 122) being covered by a trigger metal (72; 124), wherein a signal propagating from the signal-in line to the signal-out line through the signal transmission line (84; 118) having a power level greater than a threshold power level will ionize the gas within the cavity (58; 112) and create a short circuit between the signal transmission line (84; 118) and the trigger probe (70; 122). a signal substrate (52; 104) having a first side and a second side, said signal substrate (52; 104) including a signal-in line formed on the first side of the signal substrate (52; 104), a signal-in via (80; 114) extending through the signal substrate (52; 104) and being electrically coupled to the signal-in line, a signal transmission line (84; 118) formed on the second side of the signal substrate (52; 104) and being electrically coupled to the signal-in via (80; 114), a signal-out via extending through the signal substrate (52; 104) and being electrically coupled to the signal transmission line (84; 118) and a signal-out line formed on the first side of the signal substrate (52; 104) and being electrically coupled to the signal-out via; and a trigger substrate (54; 102) having a first side and a second side, said trigger substrate (54; 102) being bonded to the signal substrate (52; 104) so as to form a hermetically sealed cavity (58; 112) where the second side of the signal substrate (52; 104) faces the second side of the trigger substrate (54; 102) within the cavity (58; 112), said trigger substrate (54; 102) including at least one trigger probe (70; 122) extending from the second side of the trigger substrate (54; 102) into the cavity (58; 122) towards the signal transmission line (84; 118), said cavity (58; 112) being filled with an ionizable gas, said at least one trigger probe (70; 122) being covered by a trigger metal (72; 124), wherein a signal propagating from the signal-in line to the signal-out line through the signal transmission line (84; 118) having a power level greater than a threshold power level will ionize the gas within the cavity (58; 112) and create a short circuit between the signal transmission line (84; 118) and the trigger probe (70; 122).