Using Coupled Transmission Lines to Generate Impedance-Matched Pulses Resembling Charged Device Model ESD

A quarter-wave directional coupler plus ordinary transmission line pulsing (TLP) can create short pulses resembling charged device model (CDM) electrostatic discharge (ESD). Pulse rise time often relates to the coupler´s center frequency and can thereby be stabilized. It is shown that for a voltage step of a given size, yet with arbitrary waveform, the net amount of coupled charge (the charge packet) is constant and depends only on fixed coupler parameters. This property of Z-matched coupled lines has wider implications. High-voltage couplers can be made from coaxial cable or from stripline. Some of these designs are described, tested, and compared to computer simulations of coupled lines