Influence of avalanche transistor switching mode on waveform characteristics of solid-state pulse source

The design of the Marx circuit based on avalanche transistors (ATs) is one of the effective techniques for developing solid-state pulse sources to generate nanosecond pulses. However, the influence of the avalanche transistor as a switching device on the output pulse characteristics is still unclear. In this study, investigating the switching mechanism of the AT with a mixed-mode simulation of the semiconductor device has been accomplished. An experiment has checked the simulation model’s transient switching characteristics. The switching mechanisms of ATs in the Marx circuit were divided into base triggering mode (BTM) and voltage ramp mode (VRM). This paper proposes a modified circuit for adjusting the output pulse parameters of solid-state pulse sources. The results show that to satisfy the simulation accuracy, the width parameter of the AT model in the BTM must be 100 μm, much less than the actual physical size. Because of the higher electric field when the initial impact ionization occurs, the AT operates at a higher switching speed in the VRM than in the BTM. In addition, since the carriers of initial impact ionization locate at the p–n0 interface or the n0–n+ interface, the AT switching process will oscillate in the VRM. All ATs in the modified Marx circuit switch to operate in the BTM. The leading edge of the output pulse increases from 275 to 1125 ps, and the pulse trailing oscillation has disappeared. The research results provide an important technical means for optimizing the output waveform of solid-state pulse sources.