Integrated thyratron driver for high-rep rate, high-power modulators

The authors describe the development of a thyratron driver system which generates all of the required support circuitry for a thyratron tube into one compact package. They discuss the electrical and mechanical requirements that were imposed and how these issues were resolved. The physical and electrical characteristics of the finished product and its use in all actual modulator application are described. The wide operating ranges of the power supplies allows the user to choose from a variety of tubes without the need for customizing each driver package. The driver is capable of operating with cathode-referenced or grid-referenced thyratrons in an air or oil-insulated environment