Method and apparatus for generating pulsed RF power

Abstract

An improved method and apparatus for generating a pulsed RF power signal is provided. A DC pulse signal is generated which is compressed to increase its power to a predetermined level. The compressed pulse signal is applied to rapidly charge capacitive elements of a frozen wave generator. The capacitive elements may for example be lumped capacitors or transmission line segments. The charging step is accomplished in a manner such that the level and/or polarity of the charge for alternate stages are different than the level and/or polarity for the remaining stages. This may be accomplished by initially charging all stages to the same level and polarity and then either flipping the charge for alternate stages or otherwise altering the charge for such alternate stages or by initially charging alternate ones of the stages to a different level and/or polarity than the remaining stages. Once the capacitive elements for all stages of the frozen wave generator are charged to the desired level and/or polarity, the charges are permitted to propagate through the frozen wave generator to the last stage thereof, the desired RF output signal being taken at the output from such last stage.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.