Pulsed power expansion and compression using mutual coupling

A familiar technique for shortening the length of discharge from a capacitor in a pulsed power circuit involves a combination of opening and closing switches. Lengthening the pulse normally involves using a number of relatively small capacitors, interconnected through inductors, with the resulting arrangement often being complex. The paper describes how using a capacitor as the energy source, it is possible to use the same basic and straightforward assembly of mutually- coupled inductors and switches to provide either pulse shortening or extension, merely by means of a different switching sequence. The concepts underlying both possibilities are explained and typical experimental results are presented.