Design, control and fault protection of resonant charging circuits for high frequency laser pulse modulators

Current research on pulsed gas lasers operating in the high mean power, multikilohertz regime has resulted in a resurgence in the development of HV pulse modulators. With few exceptions the pulse modulators employ one or more capacitive storage networks which provide excitation pulses of the correct duration, amplitude and impedance when discharged into the laser cavity. The author discusses the practical design of such HV charging systems, with reference to the development of a charging state employed in an 88 kW mean power excimer laser charging circuit