Lumped Element Line Generators to Produce Pulsed Sinusoidal Oscillations of Very Large Power

Abstract

After reviewing the present state of knowledge concerning the technique of making high power sinusoidal pulses, an improved kind of line generator is proposed. An analysis of wave propagation in a periodic structure together with the numerical solution of the network differential equations shows that it is possible to utilize the recurrent triggering system (hitherto applied only to homogeneous lines) with lumped element lines. A method for designing such lines is presented. Numerical tables are included and some selected examples are discussed. The theory agrees with an experiment made with a prototype line. The construction of a 720 MW, 3 MHz installation for use in plasma physics experiments is already underway. This large power is achieved by paralleling a number of lumped element line generators.