Nonlinear transmission line high voltage pulse sharpening with energy recovery
Some embodiments include a nonlinear transmission line system comprising: a power supply providing voltages greater than 100 V; a high frequency switch electrically coupled with the power supply; a nonlinear transmission line electrically coupled with the switch; an antenna electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line; and an energy recovery circuit comprising a diode and an inductor electrically coupled with the power supply and the antenna.
1. A nonlinear transmission line system comprising:
a power supply providing voltages greater than 100 V;
a switch electrically coupled with the power supply;
a nonlinear transmission line electrically coupled with the switch;
an antenna electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line; and
an energy recovery circuit comprising a diode and an inductor electrically coupled with the power supply and the antenna.
2. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 1 , wherein the energy recovery circuit is in parallel with the nonlinear transmission line.
3. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 1 , wherein the antenna radiates RF energy.
4. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 1 , wherein some energy from the nonlinear transmission line that is not radiated by the antenna is recovered to the power supply.
5. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 1 , wherein the diode is positioned to allow energy to flow from the antenna and/or the nonlinear transmission line to the power supply.
6. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 1 , wherein the power supply comprises an energy storage capacitor.
7. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 1 , further comprising a high frequency filter coupled with the antenna and/or the nonlinear transmission line.
8. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 1 , further comprising a second power supply and a second switch, wherein the energy recovery circuit charges the second power supply.
9. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 1 , wherein the switch switches with a pulse repetition frequency greater than about 1 kHz.
10. A nonlinear transmission line system comprising:
an energy storage capacitor;
a high voltage switch electrically coupled with the energy storage capacitor that produces high voltage pulses with a voltage greater than about 1 kV;
a nonlinear transmission line electrically coupled with the high voltage switch;
a load electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line; and
an energy recovery circuit comprising a diode and an inductor, the energy recovery circuit is electrically coupled with the energy storage capacitor and the load.
11. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 10 , wherein the high voltage switch comprises a nanosecond pulser.
12. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 10 , wherein the load is an antenna that radiates RF energy.
13. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 10 , wherein the high voltage switch switches with a pulse repetition frequency greater than about 1 kHz.
14. A nonlinear transmission line system comprising:
an energy storage capacitor;
a high voltage switch electrically coupled with the energy storage capacitor that produces pulses with a voltages greater than about 1 kV;
a nonlinear transmission line electrically coupled with the high voltage switch that produces an RF signal on the pulses;
an antenna electrically coupled with the nonlinear transmission line that radiates RF energy from the pulses with the RF signal; and
an energy recovery circuit comprising a diode and an inductor electrically coupled with the power supply and the antenna.
15. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 14 , wherein the nonlinear transmission line produces an RF signal on the pulses.
16. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 14 , wherein the high voltage switch switches with a pulse repetition frequency greater than about 1 kHz.
17. The nonlinear transmission line system according to claim 14 , wherein the high voltage switch comprises a nanosecond pulser.