A study on effect of medium conductivity on its electric strength under different source conditions in nanosecond regimes

Applications of pulsed electric fields (PEF) are dependent on the output pulse shape and pulse parameters. Both the design of the supply and the sample being tested can influence the pulse shape and its parameters. In this paper the output pulses of two pulsed power supplies, one using a thyratron switch and the other a MOSFET, are examined. The load used in the experiments consists of two circular coaxial electrodes separated by conductive water. The water conductivity is changed from 2.2 /spl times/ 10/sup -4/ S/m to 5000 /spl times/ 10/sup -4/ S/m and the effect on the output pulse amplitude, rise-time and fall-time are investigated and explained.