Solid dielectrics for charged energy storage lines

There are a number of pulsed power applications where d.c. charged, solid dielectric energy storage lines are very attractive because of their simplicity, reliability and economy. A single spark switch can discharge a line into a matched load to produce a nearly square pulse with very short rise and fall times and no prepulse. Several lines can be stacked and triggered simultaneously or sequentially with very little jitter. One of the most important considerations in the design of a charged energy line is the choice of a dielectric material which must have a high dielectric strength, long lifetime, low losses, and a relatively small variation of its dielectric constant at high frequency. The material should have good mechanical properties and should be easily formed into the desired configuration.