Electromagnetic pulse generator system
A reusable battery-operated electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generator system comprising a pyroelectric element that accumulates high-voltage charge, immersed in a dielectric bath. A heating element heats the dielectric bath and the pyroelectric element, while a temperature sensor monitors their temperatures. The components are housed within a thermal chamber that provides insulation. A switched pulse actuator controls the rapid discharge of the accumulated charge from the pyroelectric element. The system includes a pulse shaping subsystem, a power supply unit, and a broadband radiating element such as an ultrawideband antenna for emitting the EMP. The pyroelectric element is heated and cooled to control accumulation of high voltage charge, which is discharged as an electrical pulse that is shaped and radiated as EMP.
1 . An electromagnetic pulse (EMP) generator system, the system comprising:
a dielectric bath;
a pyroelectric element having a body and opposing faces that is immersed in the dielectric bath and configured to accumulate high-voltage charge across the polar faces;
a heating element configured to heat the dielectric bath and the pyroelectric element;
a temperature sensor configured to sense the temperature of the dielectric bath or the pyroelectric element;
a thermal chamber for enclosing the pyroelectric element, the dielectric bath, the heating element, and the temperature sensor, and for providing thermal insulation from external environments; and
a switched pulse actuator configured to control and actuate a rapid electrical discharge of the accumulated charge from the pyroelectric element.
2 . The EMP generator system of claim 1 , further comprising a battery pack for powering at least the heating element to heat the dielectric bath and the pyroelectric element.
3 . The EMP generator system of claim 1 , further comprising a pulse shaping subsystem configured to shape the electrical discharge in the time domain.
4 . The EMP generator system of claim 1 , wherein the dielectric bath comprises a solid dielectric, a liquid dielectric, and/or a gel dielectric.
5 . The EMP generator system of claim 1 , further comprising a broadband radiating element for radiating, as electromagnetic pulse radiation, energy from the electrical discharge.
6 . The EMP generator system of claim 5 , wherein the broadband radiating element is an ultrawideband directional antenna and/or an ultrawideband antenna configured so as to radiate the electromagnetic pulse radiation substantially isotropically.
7 . The EMP generator system of claim 1 , further comprising integrated control electronics to control and coordinate the EMP generator system.
8 . The EMP generator system of claim 7 , further comprising a remote control configured to communicate with the integrated control electronics.
9 . The EMP generator system of claim 8 , further comprising an isolator configured to provide electrical isolation between the remote control and the integrated control electronics while facilitating data communication between the remote control and the integrated control electronics.
10 . The EMP generator system of claim 9 , wherein the isolator comprises an optical link and/or a radio link.
11 . The EMP generator system of claim 2 , wherein the battery pack is rechargeable.
12 . The EMP generator system of claim 1 , wherein the pyroelectric element comprises an LiTaO 3 crystal.
13 . The EMP generator system of claim 1 , wherein the pyroelectric element comprises a plurality of pyroelectric sub-elements that are connected in series and/or connected in parallel.
14 . The EMP generator system of claim 1 , wherein each of the opposing polar faces of the pyroelectric element or of a pyroelectric sub-element is in intimate electrical contact with an electrical conductor that covers less than the entirety of the polar face.
15 . A method for generating an electromagnetic pulse (EMP), the method comprising:
electrically isolating between two polar faces of a pyroelectric element at a temperature T 1 ;
heating the pyroelectric element to a temperature T 2 (T 2 >T 1 ) while maintaining the electrical isolation;
discharging a charge that has accumulated on the polar faces of the pyroelectric element to thereby produce an electrical pulse;
radiating the electrical pulse from an antenna; and
cooling the pyroelectric element to a temperature T 3 (T 3 <T 2 ), wherein:
while maintaining a state of electrical isolation between the polar faces of the pyroelectric element, heating of the pyroelectric element is carried out such that the heating is achieved over a time interval that is shorter than the RC time constant of an equivalent resistance-capacitance circuit.
16 . The method for generating an EMP as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising electrically shorting the two polar faces of the pyroelectric element.
17 . The method for generating an EMP as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising further heating the pyroelectric element to a temperature T 4 (T 4 >T 2 ) while maintaining electrical isolation.
18 . The method for generating an EMP as set forth in claim 15 , wherein, while maintaining a state of electrical isolation between the polar faces of the pyroelectric element, cooling of the pyroelectric element is carried out such that the cooling is achieved over a time interval that is shorter than the RC time constant of an equivalent resistance-capacitance circuit.
19 . The method for generating an EMP as set forth in claim 15 , wherein cooling of the pyroelectric element is carried out through natural cooling.
20 . The method for generating an EMP as set forth in claim 15 , further comprising shaping the electrical pulse.