Feedback stabilized pseudospark switch for fast rise marx generator application

Design and operation of a compact floating housekeeping system for pseudospark switches in high-voltage multiswitch applications is presented. The system provides isolated power to the pseudospark reservoir heater, the keep-alive gas discharge and the high-voltage trigger pulse generator. The floating HV trigger pulse generator receives its external trigger command signal via an optical fiber. The keep-alive discharge current, representing the gas pressure in the pseudospark switch, is monitored via an optical fiber as well. Pseudospark switch operation in Marx generator applications depends on the precise adjustability of the trigger to main discharge delay. This delay, in turn, is a strong function of the gas pressure inside the switch. A feedback circuit, adjusting the heater current in response to change in the keep-alive current, stabilizes the pressure. Class-E high frequency power amplifiers provide the electric power for the floating assembly through ferrite core transformers that have 40 kV insulated secondary windings