Abstract
This chapter presents an overview of commonly used pulsed generators in bioelectrics. The concept of pulsed power is discussed in Sect. 15.1. One of the key components of ultrashort pulse generator is the switch that is capable of closing in time of nanoseconds or subnanoseconds. A variety of switches, including gas spark gap switches and MOSFETs, can be used (Sect. 15.2). Besides the switches, the circuits that are often used in producing ultrashort pulses are discussed in Sect. 15.3. Finally, when ultra-high voltage pulses are needed, an air-core transformer or a Marx generator can be used, which are discussed in Sect. 15.4.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
References
Baker RJ, Johnson BP (1992) Stacking power MOSFETs for use in high speed instrumentation. Rev Sci Instrum 63:5799–5801
Baker RJ, Johnson BP (1993) Series operation of power MOSFETs for high speed, high voltage switching applications. Rev Sci Instrum 64:1655–1656
Barkhordarian V (1997) Application Note AN-1084 Power MOSFET Basics
Batarseh I (2011) Power electronics handbook. Butterworth-Heinemann, Burlington
Baum CE, Baker WL, Prather WD, Lehr JM, Loughlin JPO, Giri DV, Smith ID, Altes R, Fockler J, McLemore DM et al (2004) JOLT: a highly directive, very intensive, impulse-like radiator. Proc IEEE 92:1096–1109
Braginskii SI (1958) Theory of the development of a spark channel. Soviet Phys JETP 34:1548–1557
Brown D, Martin D (1987) Subnanosecond high-voltage pulse generator. Rev Sci Instrum 58:1523–1529
Camp JT (2012) Synergistic effect of subnanosecond pulsed electric fields and temperature on the viability of biological cells. Ph.D. thesis, Norfolk, VA: Old Dominion University
Canacsinh H, Redondo LM, Silva JF (2008) New solid-state Marx topology for bipolar repetitive high-voltage pulses. In: IEEE power electronics specialists conference, 15–19 June 2008, pp 791–795
Carey WJ, Mayes JR (2002) Marx generator design and performance. In: Conference Record of the Twenty-Fifth International Power Modulator Symposium and High-Voltage Workshop, 30 June-3 July 2002, pp. 625–628
E. Kuffel WSZaJK. 2000. High Voltage Engineering Fundamentals: Newnes.
Engel TG, Donaldson AL, Kristiansen M (1989) The pulsed discharge arc resistance and its functional behavior. IEEE Trans Plasma Sci 17:323–329
Fitch RA (1971) Marx - and Marx-Like—high-voltage generators. IEEE Trans Nucl Sci 18:190–198
Francis JF (1976) High voltage pulse techniques. Plasma Laboratory, Texas Tech University, Pulsed Power Lecture Series
Frey W, Sack M, Wuestner R, Mueller G (2009) Gas-insulated self-breakdown spark gaps: aspects on low-scattering and long-lifetime switching. Acta Physica Polonica A 115
Frey W, White JA, Price RO, Blackmore PF, Joshi RP, Nuccitelli R, Beebe SJ, Schoenbach KH, Kolb JF (2006) Plasma membrane voltage changes during nanosecond pulsed electric field exposure. Biophys J 90:3608–3615
Frost CA, Martin TH, Patterson PE, Rinehart LF, Rohwein GJ, Roose LD, Aurand JF (1993) Ultrafast Gas Switching Experiments. In: 9th IEEE international pulsed power conference, 21–23 June 1993, p 491
Godignon P, Soler V, Cabello M, Montserrat J, Rebollo J, Knoll L, Bianda E, Mihaila A (2017) New trends in high voltage MOSFET based on wide band gap materials. In: 2017 international semiconductor conference (CAS), 11–14 Oct 2017, pp 3–10
Grekhov IV, Korotkov SV, Stepaniants AL, Khristyuk DV, Voronkov VB, Aristov YV (2005) High-power semiconductor-based nano and subnanosecond pulse generator with a low delay time. IEEE Trans Plasma Sci 33:1240–1244
Heeren T, Camp JT, Kolb JF, Schoenbach KH, Katsuki S, Akiyama H (2007) 250 kV sub-nanosecond pulse generator with adjustable pulse-width. IEEE Trans Dielectr Electr Insul 14:884–888
Heffernan LK, Curry RD, McDonald KF (2005) A fast, 3MV marx generator for megavolt oil switch testing with an integrated abramyan network design. In: 2005 IEEE pulsed power conference, 13–15 June 2005, pp 596–599
Huiskamp T, Heesch EJMv, Pemen AJM (2015) Final implementation of a subnanosecond rise time, variable pulse duration, variable amplitude, repetitive, high-voltage pulse source. IEEE Trans Plasma Sci 43:444–451
Husain E, Nema RS (1982) Analysis of Paschen Curves for air, N2 and SF6 using the townsend breakdown equation. IEEE Trans Electr Insulation EI-17:350–353
Hussey TW, Davis KJ, Lehr JM, Roderick NF, Pate RC, Kunhardt E (1999) Dynamics of nanosecond spark-gap channels. In: 12th IEEE international pulsed power conference, 27–30 June 1999, pp 1171–1174
Ivanov BV, Smirnov AA, Shevchenko SA (2016) A study of charge losses in 4H-SiC drift step recovery diodes (DSRD). In: 2016 IEEE NW Russia young researchers in electrical and electronic engineering conference (EIConRusNW), pp 51–52, 2–3 Feb 2016
James Nilsson SR (2018) Electric circuits, 11th ed. Pearson
Katsuki S, Takano D, Namihira T, Akiyama H, Majima T (2001) Repetitive operation of water-filled Blumlein generator. Rev Sci Instrum 72:2759–2763
Kolb JF, Joshi RP, Xiao S, Schoenbach KH (2008) Streamers in water and other dielectric liquids. J Phys D Appl Phys 41:234007
Korioth JL, Copeland RP, Scholfield DW (1999) A novel super low inductance primary ring utilized in a pulsed dual resonant tuned transformer. In: 12th IEEE international pulsed power conference, vol 2, pp 811–814, 27–30 June 1999
Krishnaswamy P, Kuthi A, Vernier PT, Gundersen MA (2007) Compact Subnanosecond Pulse Generator Using Avalanche Transistors for Cell Electroperturbation Studies. IEEE Trans Dielectr Electr Insul 14:873–877
Lehr JM, Baum CE, Prather WD, Torres RJ (1998) Fundamental physical considerations for ultrafast spark gap switching. Ultra-Wideband Short-Pulse Electromagnetics 4 (IEEE Cat. No.98EX112), pp 11–20, 14–19 June 1999
Levinson S, Kunhardt EE, Kristiansen M, Guenther AH (1979) Simulation of inductive and electromagnetic effects associated with single and multichannel triggered spark gaps. In: 2nd IEEE international pulsed power conferences, United States, pp 433–436
Lim SW, Cho CH, Ryoo HJ, Kim JS, Rim GH, Jin YS (2011) Fabrication and operation testing of a dual resonance pulse transformer for PFL pulse charging. J Korean Phys Soc 59:3679–3682
Lundin R (1985) A handbook formula for the inductance of a single-layer circular coil. Proc IEEE 73:1428–1429
Martin JC (1992) Nanosecond pulse techniques. Proc IEEE 80:934–945
Martin TH, Seamen JF, Jobe DO (1993) Energy losses in switches. In: 9th IEEE pulsed power conference, Albuquerque, NM, USA, p 463, 21–23 June 1993
Miller SL, Ebers JJ (1955) Alloyed junction avalanche transistors. Bell Syst Tech J 34:883–902
Moran SL, Hardesty LW (1991) High-repetition-rate hydrogen spark gap. IEEE Trans Electron Devices 38:726–730
Morrison RW, Smith AM (1972) Overvoltage and breakdown patterns of fast marx generators. IEEE Trans Nucl Sci 19:20–31
Ng KK (2009) Complete guide to semiconductor devices. Wiley, New York
P. A. Pincosy PPaWRC (1992) High-pressure gas switch for a wideband source. In: 9th international conference on high-power particle beams. IEEE, Washington, DC
Persephonis P, Vlachos K, Georgiades C, Parthenios J (1992) The inductance of the discharge in a spark gap. J Appl Phys 71:4755–4762
Petrella RA, Xiao S, Katsuki S (2016) An air core pulse transformer with a linearly integrated primary capacitor bank to achieve ultrafast charging. IEEE Trans Dielectr Electr Insul 23:2443–2449
Raizer YP. 1997. Gas Discharge Physics Berlin: Springer.
Reed JL (1988) Greater voltage gain for Tesla-transformer accelerators. Rev Sci Instrum 59:2300–2301
Rein H, Zahn M (1975) Subnanosecond-pulse generator with variable pulsewidth using avalanche transistors. Electron Lett 11:21–23
Rohwein GJ (1979) A three megavolt transformer for PFL pulse charging. IEEE Trans Nucl Sci 26:4211–4213
Ryan HA, Hirakawa S, Yang E, Zhou C, Xiao S (2018) High-voltage, multiphasic, nanosecond pulses to modulate cellular responses. IEEE Trans Biomed Circuits Syst 12:338–350
Schoenbach K, Kolb J, Xiao S, Katsuki S, Minamitani Y, Joshi R (2008a) Electrical breakdown of water in microgaps. Plasma Sources Sci Technol 17:024010
Schoenbach K, Xiao S, Joshi R, Camp J, Heeren T, Kolb JF, Beebe S (2008b) The effect of intense subnanosecond electrical pulses on biological cells. IEEE Trans Plasma Sci 36:414–422
Shotts Z, Rose F, Merryman S, Kirby R (2005) Design methodology for dual resonance pulse transformers. In: IEEE pulsed power conference, Monterey, CA, USA, pp 1117–1120, 13–15 June 2005
Smith PW (2002) Transient electronics: pulsed circuit technology. Wiley, London
Sun Y, Xiao S, White JA, Kolb JF, Stacey M, Schoenbach KH (2007) Compact, nanosecond, high repetition rate, pulse generator for bioelectric studies. IEEE Trans Dielectr Electr Insul 14:863–870
Woodworth JR, Chalenski D, Sarkisov GS, Blickem JR (2005) 170-kV laser-triggered water switch experiments. IEEE Trans Plasma Sci 33:2051–2059
Xiao S, Zhou C, Yang E, Rajulapati SR (2018) Nanosecond bipolar pulse generators for bioelectrics. Bioelectrochemistry 123:77–87
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2021 Springer Nature Singapore Pte Ltd.
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Xiao, S. (2021). Pulsed Power Generators. In: Ultrashort Electric Pulse Effects in Biology and Medicine. Series in BioEngineering. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5113-5_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-5113-5_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Singapore
Print ISBN: 978-981-10-5112-8
Online ISBN: 978-981-10-5113-5
eBook Packages: EngineeringEngineering (R0)