Compact, lightweight crossatron modulator switch

A novel compact, crossatron modulator switch (CMS) has been developed and tested. The lightweight CMS switch, designated Hughes Model No. 8457H, has a 6.4 cm diameter, is 7.6 cm long, and weighs only 0.7 kg. The 8457H switch has demonstrated operation at 20 kV open-circuit voltage, 500 A conduction, and 150 A interruption. Typical switching times of 150 ns have been measured, and burst-mode operation of 500 kHz pulse repetition frequency (PRF) has been achieved. The switch has operated at up to 40 kHz PRF and 20% duty continuously, and 50% duty for a burst of over 100 pulses. The switch has been tested in a number of applications, including closing-only thyratron replacement, square-pulse hard-tube modulation and inverters. The 8457H switch has been used to successfully modulate both magnetron oscillators and klystron amplifiers, and demonstrated pulse-width-agile and duty-agile operation