Studies of ceramic dielectrics for use in high power, pulsed power transmission lines

Summary form only given, as follows. Summary form only given. The development of compact pulsed power systems has been limited by the materials used in traditional pulsed power accelerators. One approach to decreasing the size of transmission lines would be to use ceramic dielectrics in lieu of traditional plastics or their derivatives. This presentation discusses a collaborative program with a ceramics group that is developing novel materials that have high breakdown strengths. The University of New Mexico program is using electromagnetic modeling techniques to design materials with distributed electrical properties for future manufacture. The program is also using pulsed testing techniques to assess the breakdown strengths of newly manufactured samples.