Magnetically operated pulser
OwnerPeter J. Turchiinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A diode pulser is described which comprises a diode and an inductor connected in series, the impedance of the diode being controllable to suddenly increase the impedance to produce a high voltage pulse across the diode. The diode can include a pair of spaced electrodes (12, 14 in FIG. 2) forming a gap between them across which electrons move when a voltage is applied. To increase the impedance, a magnetic field (38) is suddenly applied parallel to the electrode surfaces, to bend the electron paths so as to require a much higher voltage to move the electrons across the gap, the inductor (26) creating such voltage to maintain the current flow for a brief time. The diode pulser is useful as a rapid-acting switch, and as a source of high energy electrons that are useful to generate X-rays, microwaves, and for other purposes.
Claims8
A pulser comprising:
- a diode having first and second electrodes that form electrode surfaces facing each other, said surfaces being spaced to form a gap between them;
- a circuit coupled to said electrodes and constructed to pass a voltage across said electrodes;
- means for rapidly establishing an intense magnetic field in said gap, in a direction which is substantially parallel to said electrode surfaces, so as to rapidly increase the impedance between said electrodes.
A method for generating a high voltage and high wattage brief pulse comprising:
- establishing a current in series flow through an inductor and between the substantially parallel surfaces of a pair of electrodes;
- rapidly applying a magnetic field between said electrode surfaces, with the magnetic field lines extending parallel to said surfaces, so as to rapidly increase the impedance between said electrode surfaces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.