Note

An avalanche transistor-based nanosecond pulse generator with 25 MHz repetition rate

authored by: Nikolai Beev, Jonas Keller, Tanja E. Mehlstäubler
Abstract: We have developed an avalanche transistor-based pulse generator for driving the photocathode of an image intensifier, which comprises a mainly capacitive load on the order of 100 pF. The circuit produces flat-top pulses with a rise time of 2 ns, a FWHM of 10 ns, and an amplitude of tens of V at a high repetition rate in the range of tens of MHz. The generator is built of identical avalanche transistor sections connected in parallel and triggered in a sequence, synchronized to a reference rf signal. The described circuit and mode of operation overcome the power dissipation limit of avalanche transistor generators and enable a significant increase of pulse repetition rates. Our approach is naturally suited for synchronized imaging applications at low light levels.
External Organisation(s): National Metrology Institute of Germany (PTB)
National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)
Type: Article
Journal: Review of scientific instruments
Volume: 88
ISSN: 0034-6748
Publication date: 01.12.2017
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Instrumentation
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5000417 (Access: Unknown)

BibTeX

@article{976b9c8781e441c4970d17e6d8e980bd,
title = "Note: An avalanche transistor-based nanosecond pulse generator with 25 MHz repetition rate",
abstract = "We have developed an avalanche transistor-based pulse generator for driving the photocathode of an image intensifier, which comprises a mainly capacitive load on the order of 100 pF. The circuit produces flat-top pulses with a rise time of 2 ns, a FWHM of 10 ns, and an amplitude of tens of V at a high repetition rate in the range of tens of MHz. The generator is built of identical avalanche transistor sections connected in parallel and triggered in a sequence, synchronized to a reference rf signal. The described circuit and mode of operation overcome the power dissipation limit of avalanche transistor generators and enable a significant increase of pulse repetition rates. Our approach is naturally suited for synchronized imaging applications at low light levels.",
author = "Nikolai Beev and Jonas Keller and Mehlst{\"a}ubler, {Tanja E.}",
note = "Funding information: We acknowledge financial support from DFG through CRC 1227 (DQ-mat), Project No. B03, and Grant No. ME 3648/1-1. We thank Michael Drewsen of Aarhus University for providing a reference design for a MOSFET-based pulse generator. We are also grateful to Dirk Piester from PTB, Department 4.42, for lending us a fast sampling oscilloscope.",
year = "2017",
month = dec,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1063/1.5000417",
language = "English",
volume = "88",
journal = "Review of scientific instruments",
issn = "0034-6748",
publisher = "American Institute of Physics",
number = "12",
}