Performances of AMBIORIX [pulsed power generator]

AMBIORIX is a high pulsed power generator designed and built by the HPP team of Valduc CEA center in 1985. This generator is now located in CESTA, a center of CEA near Bordeaux (France). AMBIORIX is formed with a Marx generator (maximum energy storage=300 kJ), water coaxial and triaxial lines. Output parameters are: 0,5 /spl Omega/ impedance; 1.2 MV diode voltage; 2.4 MA load current with a 40 nsec pulse duration. Three kinds of loads can be used: two bremsstrahlung diodes (V max=1.2 MV or V max=400 kV) and a ZPINCH diode. In this paper, the authors describe the generator and give major characteristics of various loads.