Development of a five-stage solid-state linear transformer driver

Area of Science:

• Electrical Engineering
• Pulsed Power Technology

Background:

• Solid-state power electronics are crucial for advanced applications.
• Linear Transformer Drivers (LTDs) are essential components in pulsed power systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and characterize a novel five-stage solid-state linear transformer driver (LTD).
• To improve pulse quality and reliability for high-power applications.

Main Methods:

• Design and construction of a five-stage LTD utilizing compact pulse generating modules.
• Incorporation of multilayer-ceramic-capacitor-based pulse-forming networks (PFNs) with insulated-gate bipolar transistor (IGBT) switch arrays.
• Implementation of magnetic switches for pulse front enhancement and reverse voltage absorption circuits for IGBT protection.

Main Results:

• The developed five-stage LTD demonstrates long life, low jitter, and a fast rising edge.
• The device successfully delivers a 35 kV, 119 ns, 4.3 kA square pulse train at up to 50 Hz.
• A larger cross-sectional core was adopted, improving output characteristics.

Conclusions:

• The five-stage LTD represents a significant advancement in solid-state pulsed power drivers.
• The successful development provides a foundation for scaling to higher voltage systems, such as a 50-stage LTD for high-power microwave sources.