RF Pulse Generator Based on a Nonlinear Hybrid Line

A nonlinear lumped element transmission line (NLETL) that comprises an LC-ladder network where either the capacitors or inductors are nonlinear is used to convert an input rectangular pulse to a series of RF pulses at the output. This paper describes the implementation and demonstration of a high-voltage nonlinear hybrid line (NLHL) where both the line components (inductors and capacitors) are nonlinear. Lines with only one nonlinear component have been described in numerous publications in simulation and experiment whereas an NLHL has been described in only a few papers in simulation. There is no report about NLHL being tested to-date according to the best of our knowledge. We have built and tested an NLHL using commercial-off-the-shelf components. Instead of using complex pulse forming networks or pulse forming lines, a storage capacitor and a fast semiconductor switch are used to provide an input pulse with good approximation of a rectangular pulse shape. The experimental results are compared with simulations predicted by the in-house developed nonlinear lumped element transmission line (NLETL) circuit model. Analyses on the voltage modulation and frequency content of the output pulses are carried out. The conditions for producing RF pulses in NLHL and its performance are discussed.