High-Voltage Pulse Reflection-Type Attenuators with Subnanosecond Response

Significant advances have been achieved in high-voltage pulse attenuation and measurement fidelity by utilizing the principle of traveling-wave reflection at an abrupt impedance mismatch along a transmission line. Such "reflection-type" attenuators allow practically distortionless attenuation of the signal, independent of voltage level. Their rise-time response and attenuation factor can be known very accurately because they are free from voltage and temperature effects making them especially suited as high-voltage pulse calibration standards. The rise-time response for such attenuators can readily attain 100 ps or less, a practical limit being about 30 ps.