A novel modular pulse generator with high voltage gain and reduced number of capacitors

The development of pulsed power puts forward new requirements on volume and weight of generators. To develop a compact and lightweight high-voltage pulse generator, this work proposed a new modular pulse forming topology with high voltage gain and a reduced number of energy storage capacitors. The topology is realized by charging a set of capacitors cyclically step-by-step and discharging repetitively in series. A voltage gain of 2n−1 can be achieved with 2n+1 all-solid-state switches, n fast recovery diodes, and n capacitors. An experimental prototype built around five capacitors generates high-voltage pulses with adjustable voltage level, pulse frequency, and pulsewidth. Meanwhile, it is verified that the prototype has a certain capacity with a capacitive load.