High power radiators and E-field sensors for sub-nanosecond electromagnetic pulses

Paper describes the results and problems around creation and diagnostics both the high power radiators and the E-field strip-line sensors of the directional wave coupler type. They were used in technique of short electromagnetic pulsed (EMP) waves with ultra-wideband (UWB) frequency spectrum (0.1 GHz -10 GHz) and high pulsed power. The E-field strip-line antenna sensors connected to digital oscilloscopes were used to measure the pulsed electromagnetic transverse (TEM) travelingwaves. The high power pulsed radiators were constructed with the UWB radiation antennas of a TEM-horn type and the pulsed high power semiconductor generators (“FID Technology” comp). It was made models of compact autonomous radiators with the generators for 10-100 kV pulsed voltages and 1-100 kHz repetition rate pulses with control synchronizing. New E-field sensor of non-symmetrical two-wire type has dielectric stalk with high ε=16 and small cross-section. Sensors were tested experimentally by using the compact line-cell with TEM waves. The test results were the 0.32 V/(kV/m) E-field sensitivity, 0.03 ns rise-time and up to 7 ns pulse duration without signal distortions. The results were in good accordance with the computer simulation by electromagnetic 3-D code “KARAT”. The EMP radiation with the E(t)-field amplitudes of levels 10 kV/m can be successfully used to examine various electronic devices on electromagnetic compatibility (EMC).