Abstract: One illustrative embodiment of a voltage pulser circuit comprises a voltage source producing a first voltage, and a thyratron tube having an anode coupled to the output of the voltage source, a cathode connected to a reference potential and a grid responsive to a grid control voltage to electrically connect the anode to the cathode to thereby cause the first thyratron tube to switch the anode between the first voltage and the reference potential. A pulse-shaping circuit may be connected to the anode of the tube to effectuate desired rise and fall times of the voltage pulses produced by the voltage pulser circuit. Such a voltage pulser circuit is particularly suited for use in connection with the operation of pulsed spectrometer instruments, such as time-of-flight mass spectrometers and the like.

Abstract: A modulator for producing repetitive short high voltage pulses is provided. The modulator includes a high voltage power supply, a plurality of pulse forming networks each capable of being charged to a potential equal to twice the voltage of the high voltage power supply, and a plurality of switches interconnecting the pulse forming networks. The switches have a first state connecting the pulse forming networks in parallel with the high voltage power supply to charge the pulse forming networks, and a second state connecting the pulse forming networks in series to discharge the pulse forming networks into a load. The pulse forming networks are charged by use of a resonant charging technique. The modulator further includes an input configured to receive a triggering pulse, the triggering pulse causing the switches to change from the first state to the second state.