Marxed transmission lines for compact pulsed power

The Marxed Blumlein line is a concept that has been touted as a highly compact pulsed power system because it combines the functions of energy storage, voltage scaling, and pulse shaping into a single sub-system. Inherent voltage reversal is compounded in a Marxed arrangement. The voltage reversal and transients induced by the switch jitter in a Marxed configuration require significant derating of the dielectric strength. Consequently, the system must be operated much below the intrinsic dielectric energy density, compromising efforts to design a compact pulsed power system. This paper presents the conclusion that for all practical configurations, the Marxed transmission line is the more compact architecture.