Build tunnel-diode pulse generators.
Pulse generators using tunnel diodes as output switching elements driven by on-off current sources
SEARCH · Engineering Papers
Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.
Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.
Pulse generators using tunnel diodes as output switching elements driven by on-off current sources
An apparatus and a computer-implemented method for generating pulses synchronized to a rising edge of a tachometer signal from rotating machinery are disclosed. For example, in one embodiment, a pulse state machine may be configured to generate a plurality of pulses, and a period state machine may be configured to determine a period for each of the plurality of pulses.
New pulse generator programmed to produce pulses from several ports at different pulse lengths and intervals and virtually any combination and sequence. Unit contains a 256-word-by-16-bit memory loaded with instructions either manually or by computer. Once loaded, unit operates independently of computer.
This project evaluated the pulse shaping capabilities of next-generation pulsed power (NGPP) architectures. NGPP architectures share several common attributes including multiple independent pulse-generation lines, a radial water-insulated impedance transformer, and a central vacuum insulated load region. A multi-module circuit model was developed, incorporating independent pulse-generation lines and a 2-D transmission line mesh of the radial impedance transformer to assess the effects of azimuthal asymmetry in pulse-shaped experiments. Circuit model simulations demonstrated that NGPP architectures are able to produce the the desired current pulse shapes for exemplar NGPP experiments. Additionally, the project explored automated methods for experiment design, including derivative -ree optimization and machine learning. Pulse-shaped experiments require designers to determine machine parameters that reliably produce the desired current pulse at the load, a process that typically relies on expert knowledge and iterative adjustments using the Z circuit model. Given the increased complexity of NGPP systems, this manual approach may be impractical. While the evaluated methods do not eliminate the need for manual iteration, they can reduce the time required for experiment design. Derivative-free optimization automates much of the trial-and-error process, providing a close starting point for manual adjustments or making small modifications to near-final designs. Meanwhile, deep neural network methods can generate a good qualitative match to the desired current pulse in under one second without requiring circuit model simulations.
Advances of high intensity lasers have opened up the field of strong field physics and led to a broad range of technological applications. Recent x ray laser sources and optics development makes it possible to obtain extremely high intensity and brightness at x ray wavelengths. In this paper, we present a system design that implements chirped pulse amplification for hard x ray free electron lasers. Numerical modeling with realistic experimental parameters show that near-transform-limit single-femtosecond hard x ray laser pulses with peak power exceeding 1 TW and brightness exceeding 4×10 35 s -1 mm -2 mrad -2 0.1\%bandwdith -1 can be consistently generated. In conclusion, realization of such beam qualities is essential for establishing systematic and quantitative understanding of strong field x-ray physics and nonlinear x ray optics phenomena.
Improved transmission-line pulse generators of the vector-inversion type are being developed as lightweight sources of pulsed high voltage for diverse applications, including spacecraft thrusters, portable x-ray imaging systems, impulse radar systems, and corona-discharge systems for sterilizing gases. In this development, more than the customary attention is paid to principles of operation and details of construction so as to the maximize the efficiency of the pulse-generation process while minimizing the sizes of components. An important element of this approach is segmenting a pulse generator in such a manner that the electric field in each segment is always below the threshold for electrical breakdown. One design of particular interest, a complete description of which was not available at the time of writing this article, involves two parallel-plate transmission lines that are wound on a mandrel, share a common conductor, and are switched in such a manner that the pulse generator is divided into a "fast" and a "slow" section. A major innovation in this design is the addition of ferrite to the "slow" section to reduce the size of the mandrel needed for a given efficiency.
Precise test pulse with stable duration and amplitude needed for calibration of test equipment. Precise-test-pulse generator provides such waveform and has additional desirable features. Circuit produces single test pulses of stable duration and amplitude. Made of commercially available integrated circuits and discrete components.
High voltage pulse generator with solid state components - transistor circuits
A pulse shaping device includes an inductor that is selectively output-coupled to a first port of a capacitor. The inductor is charged to a selected current throughput and then coupled to the first port to generate a first characteristic within the current flowing at a second port of the capacitor. The capacitor is charged until reaching a clamping voltage at the first port. A voltage clamp of the shaping device clamps the first port of the capacitor at the clamping voltage to generate a second characteristic within the current flowing at a second port of the capacitor.
The Febetron Pulse Generator (FPG) is an experimental assembly used to store electrical energy for a period of time and then release that energy over a short duration pulse to achieve high instantaneous power outputs. The FPG is an ideal device to be used for a variety high energy physics experiments. For mobility and ease of repeatable operation, the FPG is secured on a rolling test fixture and paired with a diagnostic and controls rack. The combination of the FPG, test fixture cart, SF6 gas cart, and controls rack is identified as the Pulse Generator Testing Assembly (PGTA). This document outlines all necessary information regarding the working principles, assembly/disassembly, maintenance, operation, uses, hazards, and experimental procedures of the 1 Mega Volt (MV) PGTA. This document, in addition to the manufacturer’s manuals, should be utilized as a reference whenever working with the PGTA and any of its components.
High voltage pulse generator for testing flash and ignition limits of nonmetallic materials in controlled atmospheres
Resettable memory circuit with pulse generator for sampling and measuring galactic X-ray
Multiphase clock-pulse generator converts a simple pulse train into nonoverlapping clock pulses. The generator employs multistable circuits to minimize the number of electronic components.
Variations of tunnel diode pulse generator circuits
High-performance analog-to-digital converters (ADC) have been widely applied in many areas of science. For instance, magnetic field measurements based on the Faraday’s induction law require high-precision voltmeters to measure induced voltages. In this study in the context of free-electron lasers technology, the Magnetic Measurements Team at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory proposed a novel in-situ radiation damage detection system (RDDS) for detecting small field variations in undulators. The system measures the flux change in a flexible printed-circuit coil attached to the magnet array during the undulator gap movement. The gap movement changes the magnetic field, which induces a voltage signal in the coil that is measured and integrated with an ADC. Although the system is capable of detecting relative flux changes better than 100 ppm, drift in the ADC’s gain or offset can cause apparent changes in the relative flux. This paper describes the first attempt to developed a high-precision verification circuit to perform ADC testing in the framework of the novel RDDS. The circuit generates a reference voltage pulse with a voltage–time integral relative precision better than 50 ppm for a few hundreds of mVs — the typical order of magnitude measured with the RDDS. The circuit’s design combines a fast and precise switch with a low-noise voltage reference. Long-term measurements allowed statistical analysis and showed that averaging the voltage–time integral of ten pulses gives the required 50 ppm stability. Moreover, reproducibility tests confirmed that the circuit’s output is invariable under small power supply instabilities and equipment shutdown. Instruments and applications designed to quantify the magnetic field by integrating voltage signals may use the pulse generator proposed in this paper for verification purposes.
A document discusses a pulse generator with subnanosecond resolution implemented with a low-cost field-programmable gate array (FPGA) at low power levels. The method used exploits the fast carry chains of certain FPGAs. Prototypes have been built and tested in both Actel AX and Xilinx Virtex 4 technologies. In-flight calibration or control can be performed by using a similar and related technique as a time interval measurement circuit by measuring a period of the stable oscillator, as the delays through the fast carry chains will vary as a result of manufacturing variances as well as the result of environmental conditions (voltage, aging, temperature, and radiation).
A method to temporally tailor the properties of X-ray radiation carrying Orbital Angular Momentum (OAM) is presented. In simulations, an electron beam is prepared with a temporally modulated micro-bunching structure which, when radiating at the second harmonic in a helical undulator, generates OAM light with a corresponding temporally modulated intensity. This method is shown to generate attosecond pulse trains of OAM light without the need for any additional external optics, making the wavelength range tunable. In addition to the OAM pulse train, the method can be adapted to generate radiation where the handedness of the OAM mode may also be temporally modulated (flipped).
Electrical pulse generator uses power transistors and silicon controlled rectifiers for producing a high current pulse having fast rise and fall times. At quiescent conditions, the standby power consumption of the circuit is equal to zero.