Importance

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Abstract

A diode pulser is described which comprises a diode and an inductor connected in series, the impedance of the diode being controllable to suddenly increase the impedance to produce a high voltage pulse across the diode. The diode can include a pair of spaced electrodes (12, 14 in FIG. 2) forming a gap between them across which electrons move when a voltage is applied. To increase the impedance, a magnetic field (38) is suddenly applied parallel to the electrode surfaces, to bend the electron paths so as to require a much higher voltage to move the electrons across the gap, the inductor (26) creating such voltage to maintain the current flow for a brief time. The diode pulser is useful as a rapid-acting switch, and as a source of high energy electrons that are useful to generate X-rays, microwaves, and for other purposes.

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First Claim