An Auto-Tuned Delayed Triggering System for Ultrafast Rise Time Solid-State and Impedance-Matched Marx Pulsed Power Generators

Marx generators and their solid-state and impedance-matched derivatives have been widely used in pulsed power systems to generate transient plasma. In Marx generators, all discharge switches must turn on simultaneously after capacitor charging is complete. However, inevitable delays caused by jitter or component skew in the triggering system lead to uneven switch activation, which increases the pulse rise time and reduces plasma efficiency. To address this, the paper introduces a triggering system with an auto-tuned delay capability, suitable for solid-state and impedance-matched Marx generators. This system integrates an optic transceiver unit, a delay IC, and a microcontroller unit (MCU). It enables full communication between the oscilloscope, MCU, and PC. The system measures the average delay between triggering signals, and the PC then sends correction data to the MCU. The MCU adjusts the delay ICs accordingly, minimizing the unwanted delay to less than 50 ps. This approach enhances the simultaneous activation of discharge switches, improves pulse sharpness, and boosts plasma generation efficiency. To validate the performance of the proposed triggering system, two versions were developed and tested to generate the triggering signals for a 5 kV, 100 A impedance-matched Marx generator (IMG).