Abstract: A high voltage pulse generator utilizes an even number of Marx cells using L-C inversion topology. Each Marx cell is associated with an individual inverter transformer having a primary winding connected to the output of an ac power supply such as a series resonant inverter. The secondary of each inverter transformer is half-wave rectified to charge the energy storage capacitors in each Marx cell. A distributed voltage sensing scheme can be provided for accurate feedback to the inverter's controller. An inductive element can be used to achieve a magnetic diode effect in the L-C inversion circuit to reduce component stress and improve efficiency. A transformer-coupled floating gate drive circuit is used to provide local power conditioning and trigger timing for discharge of the energy storage capacitors.

Abstract: In a ground penetrating radar system, A-scan images of subsurface targets lying along the antenna boresight axis can be substantially improved and generated in real-time by employing a synthetic aperture, end-fire array, despite the inhomogeneous nature of the subsurface volume. The synthetic aperture, end-fire array is achieved by generating electro-magnetic (EM) ultra-wideband impulses at a number of precise locations along the antenna boresight access, shifting the returned EM signals in the time domain according to the corresponding antenna boresight location, and then integrating the shifted, returned EM signals.