Current Adder with Programmable Pulse Shaping

Summary form only given. A programmable current adder that has six independently programmable modules/bricks and is capable of achieving peak currents greater than 2 kA has been designed and built. This system has been characterized and modeled, allowing for the use of genetic algorithms to determine the required system initial conditions and the required switch triggering times necessary to achieve commanded current shapes. This paper presents a description of the system control, circuit topology, semiconductor based triggering, charging systems, and system characterization. All of these system characteristics are discussed within the context of commanded, predicted, and measured output currents.