Constant voltage pulse power driver for variable impedance loads

We describe here, a modular design, of a Type A Pulse Forming Network (PFN), capable of generating long, high voltage output pulses, to a wide range of loads. Such a network may be constructed by replacing inductors with the proper values to drive different loads. Assume that an initial design requires some /spl tau//sub 1/ and Z/sub 1/. If we desire to drive a different impedance load, say Z/sub 2/ , we may obtain a flat pulse, for duration /spl tau//sub 2/ (/spl tau//sub 1//Z/sub 1/ = /spl tau//sub 2//Z/sub 2/), providet the inductors scaled to (/spl tau//sub 1/ /Z/sub 1)(Z/sub 2*Z/sub 2/. By configuring the energy storage capacitors into an erected Marx generator, one attains a high energy (verses size) efficient pulsed power driver, capable of delivering extremely high output voltages. It will be shown, that a standard Marx generator may be mated to the required load, by simply inserting the proper pulse shaping stage between the two. The reader is reminded that this concept can be extended to all other types of PFNs.