Abstract: A pulse sharpening circuit is disclosed for decreasing the current and voltage risetimes of pulse power devices. It is useful in many systems ranging from the particle beam fusion accelerator to field emission electron guns for intense microwave sources requiring an extremely quick high power turn-on for proper operation. A polyvinyl chloride dielectric flashover switch is used in combination with a velvet covered transmission line which has a metal ring near its end to produce switching when the initial radial electron flow is diverted to axial electron flow as the critical magnetic insulation current is exceeded. Nominal peak voltages of 500 Kv have been obtained with current and voltage risetimes of 0.5 nanoseconds.

Abstract: Ion implantation devices in which the ion source is comprised of one or more vacuum spark gaps arranged to create a plasma and manipulated using magnetic fields are described. Each spark gap is comprised of a point electrode and a surface electrode with the plasma being generated from the surface electrode when a spark is initiated across the gap. A plurality of these spark gaps are coupled to a magnetically insulated ion diode. The spark gaps are arrayed around the azimuth of the ion diode so that plasma flows in and out of the diode along the lines of the magnetic field. The method of arraying the gaps results in an efficient, controllable, high density manner with extended pulse length. A second embodiment of these principles results in an advantageous implantation source using permanent magnets rather than grids. The spark gaps permit ion source versatility in that a wide variety of solid surfaces can be used as ion sources.

Abstract: An autogenerating apparatus provides secondary intense relativistic current beam pulses in response to an injected beam pulse. One or more electromagnetic energy storage devices are provided in conjunction with gaps along a beam propagation path for the injected beam pulse. For injected beam pulses which are no longer than double the transit time of electromagnetic waves within the storage devices (which may be resonant cavities), distinct secondary beam pulses are generated by each of the energy storage devices. The beam propagation path, together with the one or more gaps provided therein, operates as a pulse forming transmission line cavity, in which the separate cavities associated with the gaps provide delays for electromagnetic waves generated at the gaps. After doubly traversing the cavity, the electromagnetic waves cause the gap to generate the secondary beam pulses, which are thus delayed by a time interval equal to the double transit time for the induced wave within the cavity.