Avalanche-triggered sawtooth generator

Claim 1

A CIRCUIT FOR GENERATING SAWTOOTH WAVEFORMS INCLUDING: A CHARGING CAPACITOR, AN AVALANCHE-BREAKDOWN OFF-ON CONDUCTING ELEMENT HAVING FIRST AND SECOND ELECTRODES CONNECTED IN PARALLEL WITH SAID CAPACITOR AND HAVING A THIRD CONTROL ELECTRODE, SAID CONDUCTING ELEMENT BEING CONDUCTIVE IN RESPONSE TO A PREDETERMINED THRESHOLD BREAKDOWN POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND THIRD ELECTRODES, MEANS COUPLED TO SAID CAPACITOR TO SUPPLY CHARGING CURRENT THERETO, SAID CURRENT CHARGING SAID CAPACITOR TO ESTABLISH SAID PREDETERMINED BREAKDOWN POTENTIAL DIFFERENCE WHEREUPON SAID CONDUCTING ELEMENT IS RENDERED CONDUCTIVE TO DISCHARGE SAID CAPACITOR AND A FEEDBACK CIRCUIT COUPLED BETWEEN SAID FIRST AND THIRD ELECTRODES, SAID FEEDBACK CIRCUIT INCLUDING SENSING MENS COUPLED TO SAID FIRST ELECTRODE FOR SENSING THE INITIATION AND TERMINATION OF DISCHARGE OF SAID CAPACITOR AND RESPONSIVELY GENERATING A SIGNAL PERSISTING FOR THE DURATION OF DISCHARGE, AND SWITCHED BIAS MEANS COUPLED TO SAID SENSING MEANS AND TO SAID THIRD ELECTRODE FOR APPLYING A BIAS THERETO RESPONSIVE TO SAID SIGNAL TO MAINTAIN SAID PREDETERMINED THRESHOLD POTENTIAL UNTIL SAID DISCHARGE IS TERMINATED.