Solid State Ultra-Wideband Microwave Source

This Phase I SBIR proposal outlines an effort that will advance the state of the art in high repetition rate solid state pulse generators. For this effort, we have assembled a team of key people with direct experience in high peak power solid state pulse generator design, measurement and characterization of fast transient waveforms, and semiconductor interconnection and packaging techniques. The main thrust of the effort involves assembling a very low inductance, high voltage and high peak power solid-state silicon diode stack from the chip level rather than modifying pre-packaged devices. The diode chips used to assemble the high voltage stacks will not be fabricated in this effort, but rather, will be purchased from a well known semiconductor supplier. The new diode switches developed in this effort will be combined with high repetition rate capacitor charging techniques and be used as closing switches in a novel solid-state Marx-like design to form an all solid state, high peak power, high repetition rate pulse generator. The resultant pulse generator will be an ideal candidate for use as an ultra-wideband radar source. A prototype pulse generator that will provide a peak voltage of >30 kV, a rise time of 1 kHz will be demonstrated in the Phase I effort.