All-solid-state repetitive semiconductor opening switch-based short pulse generator

Abstract

The operating characteristics of a semiconductor opening switch (SOS) are determined by its pumping circuit parameters. SOS is still able to cut off the current when pumping current duration falls to the order of tens of nanoseconds and a short pulse forms simultaneously in the output load. An all-solid-state repetitive SOS-based short pulse generator (SPG100) with a three-level magnetic pulse compression unit was successfully constructed. The generator adopts magnetic pulse compression unit with metallic glass and ferrite cores, which compresses a 600 V, 10 μs primary pulse into short pulse with forward pumping current of 825 A, 60 ns and reverse pumping current of 1.3 kA, 30 ns. The current is sent to SOS in which the reverse pumping current is interrupted. The generator is capable of providing a pulse with the voltage of 120 kV and duration of 5-6 ns while output load being 125 Ω. The highest repetition rate is up to 1 kHz. © 2009 American Institute of Physics.