Development of a compact high-voltage pulser for hypervelocity microparticles injector

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Plasma Physics
• Materials Science

Background:

• Hypervelocity microparticle injectors require precise high-voltage pulsing for efficient particle acceleration.
• Existing high-voltage pulse generation systems may face limitations in terms of efficiency, voltage control, or pulse characteristics.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and develop a high-voltage pulser capable of generating stable DC pulses for a hypervelocity microparticle injector.
• To integrate a zero-voltage-switching (ZVS) circuit with a diode split flyback transformer for efficient high-voltage generation.
• To characterize the performance of the developed pulser in terms of voltage output, frequency, and rise time.

Main Methods:

• A resonant inverter based on ZVS principles was coupled to a diode split flyback transformer to achieve high voltage.
• A power MOSFET was employed to switch the DC input, enabling repetitive pulse generation.
• The pulser's output characteristics, including voltage (10-40 kV), frequency (DC to 500 Hz), and rise time (~0.28 ms), were analyzed through simulations and experiments.

Main Results:

• The developed high-voltage pulser successfully generated DC pulses in the 10-40 kV range.
• The system demonstrated adjustable pulse frequencies from DC to 500 Hz with a voltage rise time of approximately 0.28 ms.
• Integration with a microparticle injector resulted in the successful observation of microparticle ejection.

Conclusions:

• The ZVS-based high-voltage pulser with a diode split flyback transformer is a viable solution for hypervelocity microparticle injection.
• The pulser's adjustable parameters and successful demonstration in microparticle ejection highlight its potential for advanced applications.
• Further research can explore optimization for higher voltages, frequencies, or different injector designs.