Nanosecond Pulser Transformer Circuit for Sub-50 Ns Rise Time
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current nanosecond pulsers face challenges in producing high-voltage electrical pulses with rapid rise times and programmable pulse widths, as they often suffer from high stray inductance and capacitance, limiting their ability to achieve peak voltages greater than 1 kilovolt with rise times less than 150 nanoseconds.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a nanosecond pulser with multiple switch circuits, a transformer core, and a pulse compression circuit, featuring a saturable inductor and secondary capacitor, which reduces stray inductance and capacitance, allowing for the generation of high-voltage pulses with rise times less than 50 nanoseconds and variable pulse widths.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional nanosecond pulser designs are used, then device simplicity is maintained, but stray inductance and capacitance increase, limiting peak voltage and rise time performance
Solution Approach 1:
The pulser circuit is divided into multiple independent modules: switch circuit, fast capacitor, transformer with pulse compression circuit. Each module is optimized separately to minimize stray inductance and capacitance, allowing complex high-performance functionality while maintaining modular simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
A pulse compression circuit is introduced as an intermediary between the transformer and output, consisting of a saturable inductor and capacitor that compress the pulse duration and reduce stray effects, enabling sub-50 nanosecond rise times without excessive complexity
2Power
If pulse width is increased to deliver more energy, then power output improves, but pulse repetition frequency decreases due to longer charging cycles
Solution Approach 1:
The circuit uses dynamic switching elements (MOSFETs/IGBTs) and a saturable inductor that changes inductance based on current level, allowing the system to rapidly transition between different pulse widths and repetition frequencies, achieving both high power and high productivity
Solution Approach 2:
The fast capacitor is rapidly recharged to high voltage between pulses, and the pulse width is controlled by varying the switch conduction time. This allows energy delivery to be increased through longer pulse width rather than higher repetition frequency, maintaining both power and productivity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This configuration effectively produces electrical pulses with peak voltages greater than 1 kilovolt and rise times of less than 50 nanoseconds, enabling higher pulse repetition frequencies and reduced stray inductance and capacitance, thus overcoming the limitations of existing nanosecond pulsers.
Implementation Method 1
a transformer, and an output. In some embodiments, the transformer may include a first transformer core, a first primary winding that is wound at least partially around a portion of the first transformer core, and a secondary winding wound at least partially around a portion of the first transformer core
Implementation Method 2
The pulse compression circuit may include at least a saturable inductor arranged in series with the output of the secondary winding
Data Source
AI summary
A nanosecond pulser is disclosed. In some embodiments, the nanosecond pulser may include one or more switch circuits including one or more solid state switches, a transformer, and an output. In some embodiments, the transformer may include a first transformer core, a first primary winding wound at least partially around a portion of the first transformer core, and a secondary winding wound at least partially around a portion of the first transformer core. In some embodiments, each of the one or more switch circuits are coupled with at least a portion of the first primary winding. In some embodiments, the output may be electrically coupled with the secondary winding and outputs electrical pulses having a peak voltage greater than about 1 kilovolt and a rise time of less than 150 nanoseconds or less than 50 nanoseconds.