A 480 joule, 650 kV, <3 ns risetime, 500 ns pulse width compact pulse generator

The experimental results of a 32-stage Marx generator are presented. A pulse forming network (PFN) was added to each stage of the Marx to lengthen the pulse width to 500 ns. The "PSpice" simulation shows that PFN-Marx generator can be reduced to the basic circuit of a discharge line pulse generator. The system is designed for a load in the range of 300 to 700 /spl Omega/. To achieve the steep rise in the voltage pulse and meet a low jitter requirement, UV-coupled spark gap switches are employed in the system. With an added pulse sharpening technique, it is possible to reduce the risetime to a few nanoseconds, or to several hundreds of picoseconds if it is required.