A 10-$\Omega$ High-Voltage Nanosecond Pulse Generator

Devices used for biological experiments on cell cultures can present a low impedance. In this paper, a numerical and experimental characterization of a high-voltage, nanosecond-pulse, 10-Ω generator is proposed. The generator makes use of a combination of microstrip-line technology and laser-triggered photoconductive semiconductor switches that operate in the linear regime. A standard electroporation cuvette is used to load the generator. SPICE and finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) models of the whole setup (i.e., the generator and the cuvette) are developed. Numerical characterization is performed comparing SPICE analysis and FDTD simulations. Experimental characterization on a built prototype is carried out by means of a wideband frequency voltage sensor. A good level of consistency is obtained between the numerical and the experimental voltage intensities measured across the cuvette electrodes.