Multipurpose generator of high-power nanosecond high-voltage pulses

At present, high-current relativistic electron beam accelerators are rather bulky devices. Basically, this is determined by the relatively low energy stored per unit mass of capacitors — the main storage in overwhelming majority of accelerator designs. Magnetic cumulative generator (MCG) as energy source together with high-voltage pulse generator on the basis of inductive storage (IS) and electro-explosive opening switch (EEOS) allows abandoning bulky capacitive storages at all and developing compact accelerators capable to generate voltages at Megavolt level. Relatively low efficiency of pulse compression circuit caused by considerable energy losses in EEOS is not a problem, since high energy gain ratio of MCG makes up for it easily. Much more complicated problem is MCG matching to high-inductive load. For efficient operation of EEOS MCG must be capable to generate current pulse with effective length of a few microseconds only and e.m.f. better than 50 kV. Carried out both mathematical and physical simulations contributed into successful solution of given problem. In result, a generator of ∼0.1 m
³
in volume (including MCG) is developed, which is capable to produce voltage pulses of above 800 kV and energy about 1–2 kJ. Installation was used for generation of high-voltage pulses on the capacitive load, as well as for driving microwave generators, such as resonant relativistic BWO and reflex triode.