Command Triggering of Synchronized Megavolt Pulse Generators

Two separated coaxial pulse-forming lines of 1.5 ohms impedance are simultaneously switched into 1.5 ohm coaxial transition lines in a water environment producing 70 ns duration, 20 ns risetime, 1 MV pulses into a common load. The pulse-forming lines are pulse-charged to voltages up to 2 MV in a time of about 0.5 ¿s from a common Marx generator. Feasibility of the command trigger design has been demonstrated on a single 1.5 ohm coaxial line system. Four closely coupled trigatron type gas/plasma switches are triggered simultaneously by a trigger generator mounted within the transition line. The command trigger pulse firing this trigger generator penetrates the outer and inner members of the transition line through an interface unit. The characteristics of the trigatrons, the trigger generators and the interface units will be described.