Design Principles for Vector Inversion Generators

Summary form only given. Vector inversion generators (VIG) consist of two parallel plate transmission lines, wound on a common mandrel and sharing a common conductor. VIG´s are a compact electrostatic energy storage device that can convert the stored energy into a traveling RF wave in a one component-one step process. In this paper, we will describe the basic design equations that allow determination of the VIG erection time, the amount of energy stored in the unit, the amount of energy available at the output of the device and the restrictions on the value of the load impedance necessary for efficient energy transfer. We will describe a method for determining the maximum current, I, and dl/dt that the two switches, low voltage input and high voltage output switch to the load, will see and the constraints imposed on the unit by these parameters. In general VIG´s are switched using spark gaps but under some constraints, they can be switched by solid state switches specifically designed for high current and high dl/dt. Using our methodology, we will present data from several point designs that illustrate the utility of our methodology and comment on applications such as X-ray production, impulse generators, and as an RF source.