Improved Bias Supply for Tunnel-Diode Picosecond Pulse Generators

An improved bias supply for tunnel-diode (TD) picosecond-pulse generators is described. The supply is stable with temperature and, in a commercial 35-ps (nominal) risetime tunneldiode pulse generator/sampling oscilloscope system, has produced a 4:1 reduction in time-base jitter and 2:1 reduction in time-base drift. Also described is a tunnel-diode pulse generator, which, when used with the bias supply, produces a stable pulse having a flat-top sag of no more than 2 percent in 1 μs.