Multistage converter of high-voltage subnanosecond pulses based on nonlinear transmission lines

This paper presents new experimental data that enable the observed processes in nonlinear ferrite lines to be related with the theoretical positions of the spin waves of the magnetization precession under the conditions of a high-power microwave. Such an approach has not been considered in earlier discussions on the subject and can contribute to the theory of the generation of oscillations in a gyromagnetic ferrite medium. These new aspects were used to design a new type of generator. The specific feature is the presence of regularity in the ferrite lines in the generation mode of microwave oscillations. The repeating regularity enabled the implementation of multistage pulse shape converters capable of operating in two modes and providing extreme parameters of the output pulses. Two variants of multistage converters of nanosecond high-voltage pulse shapes with a duration of similar to 4 ns at a half-height and with an amplitude of -500 kV were designed and tested. The assembly of the converters and the driving generator are described in the stationary setup. In the first case, the rise time shortened to similar to 45 ps, and the amplitude increased to -850 kV due to the sharpening of a pulse and the formation of a shock wave by the cascade of three nonlinear transmission lines. A record rate for the increase of the leading peak voltage of similar to 15.5 MV/ns was reached. In the second case, the new approach for the generation of a sequence of subnanosecond pulses was presented and tested, and each pulse of the previous stage was modulated by the next stage doubling the number of pulses while conserving a deeper modulation. As a result, at the top of the incident pulse, a sequence of subnanosecond peaks with a large modulation depth (similar to 70%) was formed when the maximum voltage amplitude reached -700 kV. The results of the emission of such pulses are also presented. Published under license by AIP Publishing.