High speed pulser

Claim 1

A pulser circuit for controlling a high frequency electromagnetic energy transmission device such as a klystron having at least one control element including an input capacitance which is adapted to be resonantly charged and discharged from a source of supply voltage, comprising, in combination: first and second cascode coupled electronic switch means operably biased in a quiescent state to be mutually nonconductive and conductive, respectively, coupled across said source of supply voltage and including circuit means coupled to said control element of said transmission device applying a bias voltage to said control element for maintaining said device in a normally inoperative state; bias circuit means, controlled by the conductive state of said second electronic switch means, intercoupling said first and second electronic switch means for altering the bias of said first electronic switch means for effecting mutually opposite conductive states thereof upon selective actuation of either of said switch means; first trigger signal circuit means coupled to said first electronic switch means and being responsive to a first trigger signal externally applied to couple an actuation signal to said first electronic switch means whereupon said switch means becomes conductive to couple the positive side of said supply voltage to said control element for rendering said transmission device operative; second trigger signal circuit means coupled to said second electronic switch means and being responsive to a second trigger signal applied subsequent to said first trigger signal to couple an actuation signal to said second switch means whereupon the previously rendered non-conductive second switch means again becomes conductive to uncouple said supply voltage from said control element thereby rendering said transmission device inoperative; and third electronic switch means, normally non-conductive, coupled to said second electronic switch means for altering the bias of said second electronic switch means and additionally including circuit means having a charging circuit coupled to said first electronic switch means, being responsive to the actuation of said first electronic switch means to cause said third electronic switch means to become conductive and alter the bias of said second electronic switch means so as to drive said second switch means into non-conduction whereupon said bias circuit means in turn alters the bias on said first switch means to cause further conduction thereof, said charging circuit being additionally operable to render said third switch means again non-conductive after a predetermined time interval in the event that said second control signal is not applied during said time interval.