Recent advances in compact repetitive high-power Marx generators

Abstract

This paper introduces recent activities on Marx-based compact repetitive pulsed power generators at the Institute of Applied Electronics (IAE), China Academy of Engineering Physics (CAEP), over the period 2010–2018. A characteristic feature of the generators described is the use of a simplified bipolar charged Marx circuit, in which the normal isolation resistors or inductors to ground are removed to make the circuit simpler. Several pulse-forming modules developed to generate a 100 ns square wave output are introduced, including thin-film dielectric lines of different structures, a pulse-forming line based on a Printed Circuit Board, and non-uniform pulse-forming networks. A compact repetitive three-electrode spark gap switch with low-jitter, high-voltage, and high-current was developed and is used in the generators. A positive and negative series resonant constant current power supply with high precision and high power is introduced. As an important part of the repetitive pulse power generator, a lower jitter pulse trigger source is introduced. Several typical high-power repetitive pulsed power generators developed at IAE are introduced including a 30 GW low-impedance Marx generator, a compact square-wave pulse generator based on Kapton-film dielectric Blumlein line, a 20 GW high pulse-energy repetitive PFN-Marx generator, and a coaxial Marx generator based on ceramic capacitors. The research of key technologies and their development status are discussed, which can provide a reference for the future development and application of miniaturization of compact and repetitive Marx generators.

A Compact High-Power Ultra-Wideband Bipolar Pulse Generator

“…e circuit principle of the 8-stage Marx generator is shown in Figure 3, and all discharge switches are self-breakdown spark gap. Different from the Marx generator charged by positive and negative voltages [19,20], the modified Marx generator uses four charging channels, two of which are positive voltage and the other two are negative voltage. e advantage of this charging circuit topology is that the design of charging circuit structure is simplified and the cross of positive and negative charging inductors is avoided.…”

A Repetitive Low Impedance High Power Microwave Driver

“…The past decade has seen various custom-built HPM drivers around the world, using very different technical approaches [12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22], with peak power ranging from several to several tens of gigawatts. Most of the drivers have a water or oil filled coaxial or Blumlein pulse forming lines (PFL).…”

An Axial Foilless Diode Guided by Composite Magnetic Field for the Production of Relativistic Electron Beams

“…e advantage of the structure is that the diode cathode is completely immersed in the uniform strong magnetic field of solenoid coil, which is conducive to the generation of high-quality annular electron beams. In the development of high-power microwave system, low power consumption and miniaturization are important conditions for the practical application [19][20][21]. However, the traditional foilless diode structure has the following disadvantages [17,[22][23][24]: (a) in order to avoid excessive radial electric field, the radius of drift tube is usually large, which makes the size of inner wall of solenoid coil much larger than that of microwave device and drift tube, resulting in waste of excitation space; (b) if the diode is to be further miniaturized, it is necessary to reduce the distance between diode cathode and drift tube wall, and this change will lead to the enhancement of the electric field intensity on the cathode emitter, which is very easy to cause the radial emission of electrons on the cathode, thus causing the loss of electron energy.…”