Magnetic Switch Zero-Current Turn-On Auxiliary Circuit for Reducing Turn-On Loss in Pulse Generator

To address the demands of high-frequency high-voltage pulse generators for minimized switching losses and improved safety, this article presents a magnetic switch zero-current turn-on (MSZCT) auxiliary circuit co-regulated by saturable magnetic cores and gate-drive resistances. The MSZCT circuit regulates load current phase through magnetic core nonlinear saturation and synchronously sharpens current rising/voltage falling edges via phase-shifting control with optimized driving resistors, effectively suppressing voltage-current overlap losses. The numerical model parametrizing magnetoelectric circuit parameters quantifies correlations among core volt-second product, driving resistance, and conduction losses, supported by a parameter matching criterion for precision design. Simulations via a PSPICE-based saturable-core model validate the MSZCT strategy’s superior phase regulation, load adaptability, and low distortion. Time-frequency analyses reveal the loss reduction mechanism. Experiments confirm an 85.42% reduction in turn-on energy loss versus conventional hard-switching methods, providing a critical solution for high-power-density pulse power systems.