Design of an Ultraprecise 127-MW/3-μs Solid-State Modulator With Split-Core Transformer

This paper presents the design of an ultraprecise 127-MW/3-mu s solid-state modulator with split-core transformer. The modulator consists of a power supply, 12 pulse generator modules with active core reset, and a split-core transformer with six cores. In addition, an LC bouncer could be used to compensate the droop of the pulse. This paper includes the design and analysis of the pulse transformer. A volume minimal transformer is investigated for different load capacitances to investigate the achievable rise time and the parameters which can be used to adjust the damping. In addition, the influence of the pulse transformer on the synchronization of the switches is investigated using an enhanced reluctance model. In addition, an LC bouncer circuit is investigated. A multiobjective optimization is performed which shows the required energy of the bouncer for a certain pulse ripple. The flat-top ripple of the presented modulator can be reduced to 0.2%. Because the bouncer degrades the flat-top stability, the bouncer is not implemented. Measurements of the overall system include short-circuit measurements and flat-top stability measurements. They show that the modulator is short-circuit capable. Furthermore, the flat-top stability is determined to be less than 10 ppm at an output voltage of 360 kV.