A novel concept for a lithium lens exciter

A new circuit concept for the exciter to produce a 100-kA current pulse with a 1-ms flat top is presented. In every half-cycle a capacitor generates a current pulse. A thyristor-controlled rectifier charges the capacitor to the supply voltage, and a thyristor switch discharges it through a pulse transformer which supplies the lens. A zinc-oxide surge arrester, connected in parallel with the pulse transformer, produces the current flat top. The control of a larger current pulse with a nonlinear component improves the lens performance. The exciter can be built with commercially available components.<>