Method and apparatus for eliminating reflected energy due to stage mismatch in nonlinear magnetic compression modules

Claim 2

A pulse power generating circuit comprising: a capacitor for storing a charge; a magnetic pulse compressor circuit having a first stage and a second stage, said first stage comprising a first capacitor and a first saturable inductor, said second stage comprising a second capacitor and a second saturable inductor, said first capacitor having a capacitance value that is lesser than that of the second capacitor; a switch coupled at one end to said capacitor for storing a charge and coupled at another end to said first stage of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit for periodically applying the charge stored in said capacitor as an input to said compressor circuit, the compressor circuit providing an output pulse in response to the input, said compressor circuit also resonantly providing a reverse charge; and a mismatch correction circuit coupled in parallel with said capacitor in said magnetic pulse compressor circuit for discharging energy stored in the capacitor of the magnetic pulse compressor circuit due to stage mismatch, prior to providing of the reverse charge by the compressor circuit.

Claim 3

The circuit of claim 1, wherein said magnetic pulse compressor circuit comprises a third stage, comprising a third capacitor and a third saturable inductor, said second capacitor having a capacitance value that is lesser than that of the third capacitor.

Claim 4

The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a linear inductor, said linear inductor being coupled in series with said switch.

Claim 5

The circuit of claim 1, wherein the mismatch correction circuit comprises a diode and a resistor.

Claim 6

The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a diode coupled in series with said switch.

Claim 7

The circuit of claim 1, further comprising a power source, said power source providing said charge to said capacitor.

Claim 8

The circuit of claim 1, wherein said magnetic pulse compressor circuit is coupled to a load.

Claim 9

The circuit of claim 7, wherein said load is a laser.

Claim 10

The circuit of claim 8, wherein said laser is operable on a transverse discharge.

Claim 11

The circuit of claim 9, wherein said laser is an excimer laser.

Claim 12

The circuit of claim 8, further comprising a transformer, said transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding being coupled to the output of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit and said secondary winding being coupled to said load.

Claim 13

The circuit of claim 1, wherein said magnetic pulse compressor circuit comprises a plurality of stages, each of said stages comprising a capacitor and a saturable inductor and an output capacitor coupled to the last stage of said plurality of stages.

Claim 14

The circuit of claim 12, further comprising a transformer, said transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding being coupled to one of said stages and said secondary winding being coupled to a next stage.

Claim 17

The method of claim 14, wherein in said periodically applying step, said plurality of stages comprises a first stage and a second stage, said first stage having a first capacitor and a first saturable inductor, said second stage having a second capacitor and a second saturable inductor, said first capacitor having a capacitance value that is lesser than that of the second capacitor.

Claim 18

The method of claim 14, wherein said periodically applying step is conducted by means of a switch.

Claim 19

The method of claim 16, further comprising a linear inductor, said linear inductor being coupled to said switch.

Claim 20

The method of claim 14, wherein in said storing step, said capacitor is coupled to a second capacitor.

Claim 21

The method of claim 14, wherein in said discharging step comprises the step of coupling a mismatch correction circuit in parallel with said capacitor of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit, wherein said mismatch correction circuit comprises a diode and a resistor, said mismatch correction circuit discharging energy stored in said capacitor of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit due to stage mismatch, prior to providing the reverse charge.

Claim 22

The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing a power source for providing said charge to said capacitor.

Claim 23

The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of providing said output pulse to a load coupled to said magnetic pulse compressor circuit.

Claim 24

The method of claim 21, wherein said load is a laser.

Claim 25

The method of claim 22, further comprising the step of providing said output pulse to a transformer, said transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding being coupled to the output of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit and said secondary winding being coupled to said load.

Claim 26

The method of claim 14, wherein said magnetic pulse compressor circuit further comprises a plurality of stages, each of said stages comprising a capacitor and a saturable inductor and an output capacitor in parallel with the last stage of said plurality of stages.

Claim 27

The method of claim 24, further comprising a transformer, said transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding being coupled to one of said stages and said secondary winding being coupled to a next stage.

Claim 28

A high-voltage pulse power laser system, comprising: a power source for supplying a charge; a capacitor for storing said charge; a magnetic pulse compressor circuit; a solid state switch for periodically applying the charge stored in said capacitor as an input to said compressor circuit, the compressor circuit providing an output pulse in response to the input, said compressor circuit also resonantly providing a reverse charge, said compressor circuit having at least one stage that comprises a capacitor and a saturable inductor; a laser coupled to said magnetic pulse compressor circuit, said laser receiving said output pulse; and a mismatch correction circuit coupled in parallel with said capacitor of said compressor circuit for discharging energy stored in said capacitor of said compressor circuit due to stage mismatch, prior to providing of the reverse charge by the compressor circuit.

Claim 29

A high-voltage pulse power laser system, comprising: a power source for supplying a charge; a capacitor for storing said charge; a magnetic pulse compressor circuit; a solid state switch for periodically applying the charge stored in said capacitor as an input to said compressor circuit, the compressor circuit providing an output pulse in response to the input, said compressor circuit also resonantly providing a reverse charge, said compressor circuit having at least one stage that comprises a capacitor and a saturable inductor; a laser coupled to said magnetic pulse compressor circuit, said laser receiving said output pulse; and a mismatch correction circuit coupled in parallel with said capacitor of said compressor circuit for discharging energy stored in said capacitor of said compressor circuit due to stage mismatch, prior to providing of the reverse charge by the compressor circuit.

Claim 30

The system of claim 26, further comprising a diode coupled in series with said switch.

Claim 31

The system of claim 26, wherein said magnetic pulse compressor circuit comprises a first stage having a first capacitor and a first saturable inductor and a second stage having a second capacitor and a second saturable inductor, said capacitor having a capacitance value that is lesser than that of the second capacitor, said first stage being coupled to said switch.

Claim 32

The system of claim 26, further comprising a linear inductor, said linear inductor being coupled in series with said switch.

Claim 33

The system of claim 26, further comprising a second capacitor coupled to said capacitor for storing a charge.

Claim 34

The system of claim 26, wherein said mismatch correction circuit comprises a resistor and a diode.

Claim 35

The system of claim 26, further comprising a power source, said power source providing said charge to said capacitor.

Claim 36

The system of claim 26, further comprising a transformer, said transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding being coupled to the output of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit and said secondary winding being coupled to said laser.

Claim 37

The system of claim 26, wherein said magnetic pulse compressor circuit comprises a plurality of stages, each of said stages comprising a capacitor and a saturable inductor and an output capacitor coupled to the last stage of said plurality of stages.

Claim 38

The system of claim 34, further comprising a transformer, said transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding being coupled to one of said stages and said secondary winding being coupled to a next stage.

Claim 41

The method of claim 36, wherein in said periodically applying step, said plurality of stages comprises a first stage and a second stage, said first stage having a first capacitor and a first saturable inductor, said second stage having a second capacitor and a second saturable inductor, said first capacitor having a capacitance value that is lesser than that of the second capacitor.

Claim 42

The method of claim 36, wherein said periodically applying step is applied by means of a solid state switch.

Claim 43

The method of claim 38, further comprising a linear inductor, said linear inductor being coupled to said switch.

Claim 44

The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of storing said charge in a capacitor prior to said periodically applying step.

Claim 45

The method of claim 36, wherein in said discharging step comprises the step of coupling a mismatch correction circuit in parallel with said capacitor of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit, wherein said mismatch correction circuit comprises a diode and a resistor, said mismatch correction circuit discharging energy stored in said capacitor of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit due to stage mismatch, prior to providing the reverse charge.

Claim 46

The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of providing a power source for providing said charge.

Claim 47

The method of claim 36, further comprising the step of providing said output pulse to a transformer, said transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding being coupled to the output of said pulse compressor circuit and said secondary winding being coupled to said load.

Claim 48

The method of claim 36, wherein said pulse compressor circuit comprises a plurality of stages, each of said stages comprising a capacitor and a saturable inductor and an output capacitor in parallel with the last stage of said plurality of stages.

Claim 49

The method of claim 44, further comprising a transformer, said transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, said primary winding being coupled to one of said stages and said secondary winding being coupled to a next stage.

Claim 50

An excimer laser comprising: a laser chamber; an anode and a cathode disposed in said laser chamber; a pulse power generating circuit for providing high voltage pulses for generating electrical discharges between said anode and said cathode said pulse power generating circuit comprising: a capacitor for storing a charge; a magnetic pulse compressor circuit having a first stage and a second stage, said first stage comprising a first capacitor and a first saturable inductor, said second stage comprising a second capacitor and a second saturable inductor, said first capacitor having a capacitance value that is lesser than that of the second capacitor; a switch coupled at one end to said capacitor for storing a charge and coupled at another end to said first stage of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit for periodically applying the charge stored in said capacitor as an input to said compressor circuit, the compressor circuit providing an output pulse in response to the input, said compressor circuit also resonantly providing a reverse charge; and a mismatch correction circuit coupled in parallel with said capacitor in said magnetic pulse compressor circuit for discharging energy stored in the capacitor of the magnetic pulse compressor circuit due to stage mismatch, prior to providing of the reverse charge by the compressor circuit.

Claim 51

An excimer laser comprising: a laser chamber; an anode and a cathode disposed in said laser chamber; a pulse power generating circuit for providing high voltage pulses for generating electrical discharges between said anode and said cathode said pulse power generating circuit comprising: a capacitor for storing a charge; a magnetic pulse compressor circuit having a first stage and a second stage, said first stage comprising a first capacitor and a first saturable inductor, said second stage comprising a second capacitor and a second saturable inductor, said first capacitor having a capacitance value that is lesser than that of the second capacitor; a switch coupled at one end to said capacitor for storing a charge and coupled at another end to said first stage of said magnetic pulse compressor circuit for periodically applying the charge stored in said capacitor as an input to said compressor circuit, the compressor circuit providing an output pulse in response to the input, said compressor circuit also resonantly providing a reverse charge; and a mismatch correction circuit coupled in parallel with said capacitor in said magnetic pulse compressor circuit for discharging energy stored in the capacitor of the magnetic pulse compressor circuit due to stage mismatch, prior to providing of the reverse charge by the compressor circuit.