High voltage ultrawide band pulse generator using Blumlein pulse forming line

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Electromagnetics
• Pulsed Power Systems

Background:

• Electronic devices are increasingly susceptible to electromagnetic interference.
• High-intensity electric fields are crucial for testing device operational integrity.
• Existing systems may lack the required voltage, pulse characteristics, or compactness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a compact high-voltage ultrawide band (UWB) pulse generation system.
• To generate intense UWB electric fields for examining effects on electronic devices.
• To achieve specific pulse parameters: >300 kV voltage, ~5 ns duration, ~500 ps rise time.

Main Methods:

• Designed and fabricated a helical strip/wire air-cored pulse transformer for voltage amplification.
• Developed a triaxial Blumlein pulse forming line for pulse shaping.
• Integrated the transformer and Blumlein line into a single cylindrical container for compactness.
• Utilized an ultrawide band TEM horn antenna for radiating pulses.

Main Results:

• The system successfully generated output pulses exceeding 300 kV.
• Achieved a pulse duration of approximately 5 nanoseconds and a rise time of ~500 picoseconds.
• Measured peak-to-peak electric field intensity of approximately 42 kV/m at 10 meters.
• Demonstrated a repetition rate of 10 Hz.

Conclusions:

• The developed system effectively generates high-voltage UWB pulses suitable for electronic device testing.
• The compact design integrates key components for efficient operation.
• The system's performance metrics meet the requirements for studying electromagnetic field effects.