The Story of the LTD Development

In this article, the story of linear transformer driver (LTD) development is presented, which began in the 1980s when the inductive energy storage (IES) systems with plasma opening switches (POSs) were the focus of pulsed power research all over the world. The accompanying problems of this technology resulted in the development of microsecond LTDs by Boris Kovalchuk, which was the first crucial step toward the development of this new technology. Next came the fast (~100 ns) LTDs, eliminating completely the need for any pulse compression and power amplification. Most recently, the LTD technology was further developed to generate fast rising output pulses with a flat or trapezoidal (rising or falling) top. Such LTD cavities, called Square Pulse LTDs, are better suited for applications such as flash radiography, Z-pinch, high-power microwaves, etc. A number of recent new suggestions important for the viability of LTD technology are also presented.