Low cost 400-ps rise-time circuit-board Marx generator

Some modern pulsed-power applications benefit from a fast-rising trigger pulse which can minimize temporal jitter or ensure a desired mode (e.g. multi-channel spark gap) of breakdown ensues. Applied Physical Electronics, L. C., (APELC) has developed a low-cost 400-ps rise time Marx generator for low-energy triggering applications. The low-cost Marx is designed into a printed circuit board (pcb) geometry and uses inexpensive, off-the-shelf components. In a typical configuration, the Marx has an erected voltage of 10 kV, a stored energy of 5 mJ, and a risetime near 400 ps. The Marx has been operated at a pulse repetition frequency of 250 Hz. Other potential uses include sourcing compact antennas, driving laser diodes, and biological plasma applications.