Abstract
Pulsed power technology enables the generation of large electrical power of micro to nano second duration by compressing and releasing electrical energy. The pulsed power is utilized in a variety of applications such as large-volume non-thermal plasmas and excimer laser excitation, neither of which could be realized by conventional high-voltage and current technology. Pulsed power has been generated by capacitive energy storage (CES) systems based on the direct discharge of the capacitor. On the other hand, inductive energy storage (IES) systems, in which an inductor stores the energy, allow for more compact system configuration. In the IES system, an opening switch is always necessary to release the stored energy and is required to interrupt a large current quickly. In this paper, a new type of pulsed power generator based on the IES system using a semiconductor opening switch (SOS) is introduced. The SOS allows for all-solid-state, stable and long-lifetime operation, as well as a high repetition rate for pulsed power generators.
