HIGH-POWER FAST DI/DT SOLID-STATE SWITCHES

PULSE MODULATORS ARE REQUIRED FOR VARIOUS LASERS, PULSE GENERATORS, AND MICROWAVE SOURCES THAT MUST OPERATE IN A PULSED MODE AND REQUIRE FAST CURRENT RATE-OF-RISE, AND ARE SUSCEPTIBLE TO EXCESSIVE ENERGY LOADING, PARTICULARLY AT HIGH REPETITION RATES. A NEW FAMILY OF MODULATION BEING INVESTIGATED BASED ON A NEW SWITCH CONCEPT. THE SWITCHIS A BACK-LIGHTED THYRATRON THAT CAN BE USED FOR SPARK GAP APPLICATIONS. THE MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES BEING ADDRESSED INCLUDE PERFORMANCE AT HIGH VOLTAGE AND HIGH CURRENT, AND HIGH POWER OPERATION AT HIGH REPETITION RATES. MODULATORS BASED ON THIS SWITCH ARE BEING DESIGNED;AND AN ASSESSMENT OF THE VARIOUS MODULATOR PERFORMANCE CHARACTERISTICSOBTAINED. DETERMINATION OF SUITABLE TRIGGERING METHODS ARE BEING MADEFOR DEVELOPING PROTOTYPE MODULATORS. SUCCESS WILL RESULT IN A NEW GENERATION OF MODULATORS FOR APPLICATIONS THAT INCLUDE EXCIMER LASERS,RAILGUNS, POWER PULSE GENERATORS, FREE ELECTRON LASERS, AND PARTICLE BEAMS.