Compact high voltage power supply

A high voltage power supply comprising;

• energy storage means;
• supply means for charging said energy storage means;
• and
• switching means for switching said energy storage means into electrical contact with a load, said switching means including at least one interruptible switch, wherein said interruptible switch is a cold cathode grid-controlled, crossed field plasma switch.

A high voltage power supply comprising:

• a plurality of capacitive elements connected in a parallel arrangement;
• supply means for charging said capacitive elements;
• switching means for switching said capacitive elements into a series arrangement across a load, said switching means including:
• plural cold cathode grid-controlled, crossed field plasma switches, each having a cathode, an anode, and a control grid therebetween,
• a control circuit associated with each cold cathode grid-controlled, crossed field plasma switch,
• a master control circuit associated with a first of said plurality of switches, said remaining switches being connected to operate in a slave manner with respect to said first switch and
• pulse forming network means for providing a regulator for said power supply, said pulse forming network means including a pulse forming network connected between the cathode and the control grid of said first cold cathode grid-controlled, crossed field plasma switch.

A high voltage power supply comprising:

• a plurality of inductive elements connected in a series arrangement;
• supply means for charging said energy storage means;
• switching means for switching said inductive elements into a parallel arrangement across a load, said switching means including:
• plural cold cathode grid-controlled, crossed field plasma switches, each having a cathode, an anode, and a control grid therebetween,
• a control circuit associated with each cold cathode grid-controlled, crossed field plasma switch,
• a master control circuit associated with a first of said plurality of switches, said remaining switches being connected to operate in a slave manner with respect to said first switch and
• pulse forming network means for providing a regulator for said power supply, said pulse forming network means including a pulse forming network connected between the cathode and the control grid of said first cold cathode grid-controlled, crossed field plasma switch.

A high voltage power supply comprising:

• a plurality of capacitive elements connected in parallel arrangement;
• supply means for charging said plurality of capacitive elements;
• and
• switching means for switching said capacitive elements into a series arrangement across a load, said switching means including at least one cold cathode grid-controlled, crossed field plasma switch.

A high voltage power supply comprising:

• a plurality of inductive elements connected in a series arrangement;
• supply means for charging said inductive elements;
• and
• switching means for switching said inductive elements into a parallel arrangement across a load, said switching means including at least one cold cathode grid-controlled, cross field plasma switch.