For several years, there has been interest in obtaining fast-rising, high-voltage pulses to drive particle-beam diodes and antennas in mobile situations. The Magnetic Voltage-Pulser (MVP) is a new device to satisfy this interest. The regime of operation of the basic unit comprises--output voltage=0.2 to 1.0 MV, pulse duration=1 microsec, and load impedance=1 to 10 ohms. For higher voltage and higher impedance needs, a plurality of pulsers can be used in a series-parallel arrangement. Typical dimensions for the basic pulser are: length=20 cm, and diameter=15 cm. The weight of the system will vary with the details of the technical approach selected for each application. Also, the basic arrangement can be used for single-shot or repetitive operation by selecting options in the technical details. The repetition rate can exceed 10 kHz. Typical applications include high-power microwave and other electronic warfare devices.
An electromagnetic pulse device having a conductive coil, and optionally a conductive core disposed within the coil and spaced apart there from. One or more plasma discharge devices are disposed at least partially along a length of the conductive coil and are spaced apart from the conductive coil. A spark gap or similar device is attached to the plasma discharge devices to activate them to produce a traveling electric discharge. The discharge creates a traveling short circuit in the conductive coil thereby compressing the magnetic field. The result is the production of an electromagnetic pulse. Further disclosed is a method for producing an electromagnetic pulse.
