Portable Marx Generator for Microplasma Applications

There are many applications using pulsed power such as the triggering of high speed cameras and spectrometers, the processing or chemical analysis of minute material, and the stimulation of cells by electrical pulses. The pulse width and voltage required for each application are different in the range of ns and kV. The energy required is usually in the mJ regime. Here, a novel portable pulse power generator with 35 ns pulse width and 2.5 kV output voltage has been developed, and applied to the microplasma production. The solid-state switches are used for the high speed closing. The advantages of solid-state switches are compactness, reliability, stability of the breakdown voltage, and lifetime in comparison with those using discharges. The key point to achieve the fast risetime is to use the avalanche breakdown of the bipolar junction transistors (BJTs). The behavior of the basic switching circuit using BJTs in avalanche mode is described, and also the developed pulsed power generator is applied to produce the microplasma.