Advanced High Power Solid-State Burst Generator

Recent advances in dielectric and magnetic materials have spurred renewed interest in the field of solid state pulse and RF burst generation using Non-Linear Transmission Lines (NLTL) . The NLTL approach to HPM and UWB generation eliminates the need for an electron beam, vacuum system and magnets required in conventional HPM sources. Furthermore, the novel waveforms of NLTL generated pulses promises to offer a degree of frequency diversity unseen in current electron beam driven HPM sources. Also, a degree of control of amplitude, oscillating frequency, and temporal envelope has been demonstrated using NLTL systems at modest powers. We will design, model & fabricate a test NLTL system to study pulse sharpening & RF generation at currents up to 1000 amperes and voltages up to 10 kV and at a frequency of 1GHz. BENEFIT: The commercial product foreseen from this SBIR Program is the development of high power high rep-rate microwave burst generators for both Air Force and commercial (e.g. biomedical, industrial, environmental, etc.) applications.