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This paper describes the use of an assembly of electro-optic components and a high-performance capacitive voltage divider in a novel voltage-measurement probe for use in short-duration 500 kV pulsed-power situations, where conventional probes are unsuitable. Complete electrical isolation is provided between the high-voltage circuit and the recording oscilloscope. Experimental results confirm a predicted rise-time of less than about 3 ns, which is significantly better than that of high-quality 90 MHz bandwidth commercially available probes for the same level of voltage.

In much pulsed power experimentation a capacitor bank is discharged into an inductive load, but although sufficient energy may be available in the capacitors their voltage rating may considerably exceed that necessary for the load and the current delivered during the experiment may accordingly be too low. This paper describes a novel design of air-cored transformer that has been used as an interfacing or matching device in such a situation, where peak load currents between 1 and 2 MA were required.Design considerations led to the use of an air-cored autotransformer connection wound with copper sheet conductors. Although thick wide conductors and clamping are needed to prevent deformation due to high magnetic pressure, the transformer is nevertheless relatively simple, easy to make, lightweight and inexpensive.This paper describes the design and the winding arrangement of the transformer that was constructed, and presents typical experimental results.

In one common type of single-shot high-current crowbar, a short-circuit path is created by the deliberate failure of the solid insulation separating two conductors, by either the explosive fusing of a conductor carrying the circuit current or the controlled firing of a detonator circuit. Unfortunately, in neither technique does the voltage between the conductors directly initiate the explosion, nor is the crowbar necessarily closed within a set range of the circuit voltage. This paper describes a novel switch that overcomes this difficulty. Semiconductor devices are connected such that they explode and break through the insulation shortly after the voltage between the conductors moves outside a set range.

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