Abstract: Megavolt voltage multipliers having an output impedance of less than 10 ohms and capable of operating at high pulse repetition frequencies, are switched with high performance saturable core inductors having multiple windings to provide voltage and current rise times of less than 50 nanoseconds. Pulse generation is actively initiated by a HV thyratron operating below 40 kilovolts and in the radar mode for long life.

Abstract: This invention is directed to rugged, reliable, and long-life electrodes for use in large-area, high-current-density electron gun and x-ray generators which are employed as contamination-free preionizers for high-energy pulsed gas lasers. The electron source at the cathode is a corona plasma formed at the interface between a conductor, or semiconductor, and a high-permittivity dielectric. Detailed descriptions are provided of a reliable cold plasma cathode, as well as an efficient liquid-cooled electron beam target (anode) and x-ray generator which concentrates the x-ray flux in the direction of an x-ray window.

Abstract: Efficient impedance-matched gas laser excitation circuits integrally employ prepulse power generators. Magnetic switches are employed to both generate the prepulse and switch the prepulse onto the laser electrodes.

Abstract: A gas ion laser employs two or more independently controlled electrical gas discharges including a longitudinal plasma arc created by a thermionic cathode and an anode and a transverse glow discharge electron beam created within a photocathode reflector. These separately controlled gas discharges are arranged in a unique topology that produces highly excited atomic ions on the optical axis of a laser cavity, giving rise to a beam of laser optical radiation characteristic of the gas ion species being excited. The longitudinal plasma arc on the optical axis is heavily populated with ground state thermal ions that are not sufficiently excited to the energetic states required for laser action. The additional energy to excite these ground state thermal ions to the upper laser states is provided by a second more energetic photo-electron and glow discharge electron beam generated by a negatively biased coaxial photocathode reflector.