Pulse generators based on air-insulated linear-transformer-driver stages

• Main Authors: B. M. Kovalchuk, A. V. Kharlov, E. V. Kumpyak, A. A. Zherlitsyn
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: American Physical Society 2013-05-01
• Series: Physical Review Special Topics. Accelerators and Beams
• Online Access: http://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.16.050401

In this paper we present the design and test results of pulse generators based on air-insulated linear-transformer-driver stages that drive a vacuum transmission line. A custom designed unit, referred to as a capacitor block, was developed for use as a main structural element of the transformer stages. It incorporates two capacitors GA 35426 (40 nF, 100 kV) and a multichannel multigap gas switch. Two types of stages were developed: (1) stage LTD-20 with four modules in parallel and five capacitor blocks in each module (in tests of this stage current amplitude up to 850 kA with ∼140  ns rise time was obtained on a 0.05   Ω load at 100 kV charging voltage); (2) stage LTD-4 with two modules in parallel and two capacitor blocks in each module. Several installations were built on the base of these stages, including a linear transformer, consisting of two identical LTD-20 stages in series, and a high power electron accelerator on the base of LTD-4 stages. The design, tests results, and main problems are presented and discussed in this paper for these installations.