Special Pulse Generators

The pulse generators listed here have been developed for very different special applications: Dielectric barrier discharge, Magnetron sputtering, Operation of microwave magnetron tubes, Treatment of liquids + disinfection, Special electrostatical applications, Trigger and ignition, Transformer based pulse generators.

Of course, the respective pulse generators can also be used for other applications.

Dielectric barrier discharge

Dieelectric barrier discharge (DBD) is a gas discharge where at least one insulator is between the electrodes and therefore this discharge can only occur with AC voltages. Applications are in chemistry (ozone production), for generation of ultraviolett light, in aerodynamics, but also undesired effects can be investigated as the slow destruction of insulation material due to AC voltage stress.

Minipuls 2

Series of generators, which have been designed for efficient generation of high voltage at higher frequencies.
With the help of cascaded transformers a square wave low voltage with 5-20 kHz is transformed to high voltage. The frequency is adjusted to operation near resonance frequency with the load. Burst mode as well as cw mode operation is possible. Average power depends on Minipuls type and may be between 30 and 600W. The Minipuls versions differ mostly by the used transformer cores and therefore by maximum possible reactive power.

Almost all Minipuls are delivered as OEM circuit boards. For supply, additionally a sufficiently sized small voltage laboratory power supply is needed and in some cases also a driving signal generator.

The typical nominal load for a Minipuls is 100 pF, which corresponds to the capacity of 1m coaxial cable. For this reason the Minipuls generators are only available as OEM version, as a housing with output cable would already exceed the nominal load. Typically, the transformer cascade of the Minipuls should therefore placed just close to the load.

  • Minipuls 6 : Delivers up to 60kVss in the range 5-20 kHz to a 100pF load, average power up to 600 W.
    Datasheet Minipuls 6
  • Minipuls 2.2: Extension of Minipuls 2.1 by a possibility to supply the output bridge separately and an additional frequency control input. 120W, voltage up to 20kVss, full bridge converter, internal frequency generation, possibilies for impedance matching adjustments.
    Datasheet Minipuls2.2
  • Minipuls 4: Up to 40 kVss, 300 W.
    Datasheet Minipuls4
  • Minipuls 0.1: Minipuls version optimized for lowest weight and mobile applications. Voltage up to 12kVss and 30W average power.
    Minipuls 0.1 was developed from Minipuls0, but has a further miniaturized control board, a temperature sensor, and additional external control possibilities.
    Datasheet Minipuls0.1
  • Minipuls 7: Special version. Delivers up to 84 kVss at 100pF in the frequency range 0.5-5 kHz. average power comparable to Minipuls6.
  • Minipuls Universal: Designed for driving a mini-pulse 4/6 cascade, but can also be used for other mini-pulse cascades and in general for high-frequency transformers. Datasheet Minipuls Universal
  • MultiphasBatt: Minipuls version designed for battery operation and four outputs with adjustable phase shift. Delivers up to 20kVss within the range 5-20 kHz. Developed for plasma-aerodynamic experiments.
    Datasheet MultiphasBatt (German)
  • 8phaspuls: Delivers up to 10kVss in the range 5-50 kHz at 8 outputs with a total power of up to 300W.
    Datasheet 8phas (German)

Tpuls3

Fast high voltage needle pulse generator for capacitive loads
Datasheet Tpuls3


 

Nanopuls

Pulse generators which deliver pulses with extremly fast (few nanoseconds) rise times.

  • NPG-18/3500: Improved version of NPG15/2000; slightly higher power and frequency; larger adjustment range for amplitude and frequency, ability for single pulses, better stability; BNC connector for external control.
    Datasheet NPG-18/3500

Magnetron sputtering

Magnetron sputtering is a surface coating process (PVD) where the coating material is ejected from the target by a magnetic field supported glow discharge (sputtering) and is deposited on the substrate.

The devices of the series RUPmag (/2 /3 /4) are versatile in configuration, the were mainly developed for research purposes.

  • RUPmag Datasheet
    Small solution for magnetron sputtering. Frequency may be up to 20 kHz, voltage up to 800V and Power up to 1kW.
  • RUPmag2 Datasheet
    Double supply for pulsed magnetron sputtering with small power (2*100W) but quite high frequency (up to 200 kHz).
  • RUPmag3 Datasheet (German)
    Versatile usable device for magnetron sputtering applications with two unipolar or one bipolar output. Delivers 1 kV peak, 20 kHz maximum frequency, up to 2 kW average power.
  • RUPmag4 Datasheet
    increased power up to 3kW, delivers pulses up to 1 kV and 20 kHz max. for two outputs.

Also RUP6 (e.g. RUP6-3x2) can be used for magnetron sputtering applications. For high rate magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS oder HPPMS) RUP7 or RUP7-3 are recommended.


Operation of microwave magnetron tubes

Microwave magnetrons are tubes to generate economical high frequency at high power in the GHz range. There are application in the kitchen, for RADAR and also in science and research.

  • Magnetronpuls Datasheet (German)
    For pulsed and current regulated supply operation of a microwave oven scale magnetron (2.5 GHz).
  • Magnetronpuls 4 Datasheet
    Delivers very short (100 ns) and powerful pulses for magnetrons normally used in Radar applications. Voltages up to 20 kV are adjustable.

Treatment of liquids, disinfection

High voltage pulses in water or water based solution has interesting effects and applications. One effect is that it kills germs and therefore can be used for the disinfection of drinking water. Connected to this is the effect that it destroys cell membranes, which also can be used in food industry, e.g. for the treatment of fruit juice. For this application typically very short pulses with high power, but not too high frequency are required.

  • Hydropuls 2 Datasheet
    Delivers very powerful pulses (up to 25 kV, 500 A, 200 nF pulse capacitor) at 100 Hz. For Applications as disinfection of liquids, fruit juice treatment ect.
  • SCR-Puls 30-1500J Datasheet
    Even a little more pulse power than Hydropuls2 (30kV max, 2.5 kA max, 220 nF pulse capacitor) but less average power (15 Hz, 1.5 kW) and more compact.
  • Hydropuls Mini Datasheet
    Small scale high voltage pulse generator for resistive loads (2.5 kV, 10A max). It is optimized for delivering arbitrary square wave pulses up to the millisecond range and frequencies up to 100 Hz.

--> Depending on load impedance, also pulse generators of the RUP6 series may be used for this application. For extremely high current also spark gap based pulse generators may be an option.


Special electrostatical applications

In this section a number of special developements, especially for particle accelerators and ion sources are listed. The functions of this were rather special, the load high impedance and in the picofarad range. Developements were as full devices as well as OEM circuit boards.

For electrostatical applications typically also devices of the RUP3 series are very suitable.

  • Spezialpuls-9-12 Datasheet
    Delivers an output voltage of up to -12kV, where 25% of the output voltage is pulsed. For some special electrostatical application.
  • Spezialpuls10x3 Datasheet (German)
    The pulse generator Spezialpuls 10x3 is a triple switch for statical high voltage. It is designed for an ion optics application and controlled by TTL signal. Rise and fall times are intentionally slow here.
  • Spezialpuls25x3 Datasheet (German)
    Similar to Spezialpuls10x3, just higher voltage and faster switching. The internal pulse capacity is intentionally kept low. There is an extra logic which adjusts voltage in off state a little bit higher to compensate the voltage drop when switching to a capacitive load.
  • 5nsPuls Datasheet (German)
    Designed to add a pulse of 5-20ns width and -200...-300V amplitude to a DC voltage up to 10 kV in an ion optical system
  • Spezial20-1 Datasheet (German)
    The pulse generator Spezial20-1 adds to an external voltage of up to 20kV an arbitrary programmable voltage fall from up to -1kV from the reference potential. Application is the controlled extraction from an highly charged ion beam source.
  • Spezial20-04 Datasheet (German)
    An arbitrary Signal in the range 0...-400V is added to an external voltage of up to 20 kV. The wave form is programmable in time steps of 100ns and triggered by TTL signal.
  • Spezial 5-05 Datasheet (German)
    The pulse generator Spezialpuls5-05 is a small pulse generator for capacitive loads (ceramic samples) up to 1nF. A controllable pulse voltage in the range 0-500V is added to an also selectable bias voltage in the range 0-5kV.

Trigger and ignition

Here numerous pulse generator designs are found which deliver pulses with quite high power, but rather low frequency (~1 Hz). Application is the ignition of ignitrons, spark gaps or flashlights. In most case just high voltage and high power is desired, but the shape of the waveform does not matter much.

Ignitronpuls

OEM boards / devices for driving ignitrons or other applications where high current pulses with low repetition rate are needed. Currents up to 900A and voltages up to 2kV with pulse width of a few µs can be delivered.


Zündpuls

The OEM boards Zündpuls 1-4 are for forward driving of automotive ignition coils and are designed such that a maximum of peak-peak voltage and power can be optained from such an ignition coil.

  • Zündpuls 1 prototype similar to Zündpuls 2
  • Zündpuls 2 Bipolar, adjustable pulse with a voltage of up to 200V and a current up to 10 A.
    Zündpuls 2 Datasheet German
  • Zündpuls 3 Similar to Zündpuls 2, but increased current capability with currents up to 75A, for driving of up to 5 ignition coils in parallel.
  • Zündpuls 4 Similar to Zündpuls 3, but delivers a whole burst with up to 12 cycles. If adjusted to resonance this will deliver even higher voltage and better ignition results.
    Zündpuls 4 Datasheet German
  • Zündpuls 5 Delivers burst pulsed as Zündpuls 4, but with higher frequency and much higher power (1000V, 300A max.). Complete device with housing, special transformer in the output required.
    Zündpuls 5 Datasheet (German)

Transformer based pulse generators

Ecopuls

Was developed as less powerful, but economical solution for plasma immersion ion implantation applications.

  • Ecopuls1, -2 Obsolete, pulse generators based on a big ferrite core transformer driven by IGBTs, only 2 voltages selectable
  • Ecopuls3 Obsolete, similar to Ecopuls2, but SCR controlled and freely adjustable primary voltage.
  • Ecopuls4 Pulse generator based on a transformer cascade similar to the Minipuls series, controlled by a IGBT bridge. Up to -10 kV, 10A nominal output, without load up to -20kV.
    Ecopuls4 Pulse Datasheet German
  • Pruefpuls2 Pulse generator based on a transformer cascade, controlled by a IGBT full bridge. Delivers up to 45 kVss at 1nF load. Primary peak reactive power up to 200 kVA, average output power up to 1.3 kW. Designed for insulation tests at capacitive loads.
    Pruefpuls2 Datasheet

References of GBS Elektronik GmbH

Research Center Dresden-Rossendorf | Technical University of Berlin | University of Frankfurt | Society of Heavy Ion Research, Darmstadt | University of Augsburg | Institute for Surface Modification, Leipzig | Research Center Jülich | European Commission, Luxembourg | Institute for Reference Materials and Measurements, Geel, Belgium | Joint Research Center Ispra, Italy | Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas Espaciais, Brazil | CNEA, Argentina | National Accelerator Center, Cape Town, South Africa | Samsung, South Korea | University of Sydney, Australia