All-solid-state trigger-less repetitive pulsed power generator utilizing semiconductor opening switch

The repetitive pulsed power generator was constructed with the semiconductor opening switch (SOS) realizing the pulse compression by inductive energy storage scheme. For the preliminary pulse compression, the magnetic pulse compression system was employed. The saturable inductors and transformers transferred the stored electrical energy from the primary storage capacitor to the SOS compressing the pulse. For the final stage of the generator, the SOS was used. At the time when the SOS interrupts the current, the inductive energy stored in the circuit inductance is quickly released and transferred to the load. By tuning the current fed to the SOS, the amplitude and pulse width of the generated voltage at the 300-/spl Omega/ resistive load were 150 kV and 60 ns, respectively. The SOS allows the decrease in size, hence cost of the generator, and improves the reproducibility and reliability under the repetitive operation. Moreover, the system does not require gas discharge-based spark-gap switches or semiconductor closing switches accompanying an external trigger source, and can operate at 60 pps. Such all solid configuration and exclusion of possibility of miss-firing provide easy-to-use generator system and long lifetime.