Acting on impulse: applications of HV pulse technology

High-voltage pulse technology began in the 18th century with the first attempts to simulate lightning. From the 1890s to the 1970s its importance in industrialised countries was concerned mainly with the development of HV and EHV transmission systems. The last two decades, however, have seen explosive growth of new applications in the aerospace, energy, defence, manufacturing and process industries. The paper describes the switching and pulse-forming techniques used to achieve features such as ultrafast risetime and high peak power, and reviews the use of HV pulse technology in a wide range of applications including fusion reactors, lasers, mineral extraction and processing, high-speed imaging and pollution-control systems