Optimization and characterization of a 1.5 kV, 100 sp rise time, all-solid-state pulse generator

A state-of-the-art, all-solid-state sub-nanosecond pulse generator is presented. The generator is characterized by three compression stages. The first stage uses a power MOSFET that initially provides current increase in the storage inductor and then breaks the current. The second stage uses a 3 kV drift step recovery diode that cuts the reverse current rapidly to create a less than 1 nanosecond rise time pulse to charge a peaking capacitor. In the last stage, a silicon-avalanche shaper is used as a fast closing switch to discharge the capacitor. A 100 ps rise time, 1.5 kV output with 250 ps FWHM to a 50 Ohm load was achieved at a high pulse repetition frequency of up to 60 kHz with low < 30 ps jitter. The optimization and characterization of this generator will be presented.