Generation and radiation of high-power mesoband waveforms using quarter-wave switched oscillators

In the late 1990s and early 2000s, Carl Baum proposed the idea of generating moderate bandwidth electromagnetic waveforms using quarter-wave switched oscillators. After his initial conceptual proposition, it took several years to realize these systems, and many lessons were learned along the way. This article captures the details of the modeling and design methodologies that we have developed over the years in order to obtain oscillators with specific characteristics. The design methodology consists of a delicate balance among the pulsed power, electrodynamic, and mechanical considerations, each of which often work against each other in practice.