High-voltage microsecond pulse-forming network

A large CO2 laser being developed at Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory for fusion research requires a high-voltage, high-power pumping pulse of several microseconds duration. A pulse generator has been developed which provides a flat-topped pulse of 120 kA at 300 kV into a matched impedance load, with a 2.5-μsec pulse duration. The design is based on a combination of the Guillemin and Marx circuits. Eight of these will be used to pump an eight-beam laser system. There are applications for this circuit in other fields, such as electron beams for plasma heating. Design techniques for the pulse-forming network are discussed, including physical layout and triggering techniques.