Fast sweep voltage ramp generator and streak camera using same

• US 6,809,563 B2
• Filed: 10/16/2002
• Issued: 10/26/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Original Assignee: Commissariat a L'Energie Atomique (French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission)
• Inventors: Schaal, Alfred
• Primary Examiner(s): Callahan, Timothy P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cox, Cassandra
• Application Number:
  US10/257,367
• Publication Number:
  US 20030090304A1
• Time in Patent Office: 741 Days
• Field of Search: 327/131-134, 327/140
• US Class Current: 327/131
• CPC Class Codes: H03K 3/335 by the use, as active elements, of semiconductor devices with more than two electrodes and exhibiting avalanche effect

Abstract

A fast scanning voltage ramp generator including at least one chain of N two-pole avalanche transistors in series and a set of N+1 zener diodes in series between a high voltage power supply and ground, where N is an integer number≧2. A streak camera can utilize this type of generator.

Claims

1. Fast scanning voltage ramp generator comprising:

at least one chain of N two-pole avalanche transistors in series and a set of N+1 power supply elements in series, where N is an integer number≧

2, an emitter and base of each transistor being connected to each other and also being connected to a collector of a next transistor in the chain;

an input circuit generating a voltage pulse connected to one of two transistors at ends of the chain,

wherein the set of N+1 power supply elements in series is formed by a set of N+1 zener diodes in series between a high voltage power supply and ground, and

wherein the collector and the emitter of each transistor in the chain are connected to a cathode and to an anode of a corresponding zener diode through at least one resistance, and are connected to the ground through a corresponding capacitor.

2. Generator according to claim 1, wherein said at least one chain comprises first and second chains of two-pole transistors to generate a positive voltage ramp and a negative voltage ramp.

3. Generator according to claim 2, wherein the input circuit in the first chain is connected to a first transistor in the first chain through an inverter transformer and a capacitor to transmit a positive pulse received at input on the collector of the first transistor.

4. Generator according to claim 3, wherein the emitter of a last transistor of the first chain is connected to an output of the positive ramp through a capacitor.

5. Generator according to claim 2, wherein the input circuit to the second chain is directly connected to an emitter of a last transistor in the second chain to send the last transistor a negative pulse received as an input.

6. Generator according to claim 5, wherein a collector of a first transistor in the second chain is connected to an output of the negative ramp through a capacitor.

7. Generator according to claim 1, wherein a resistance is placed between the high voltage power supply and the zener diodes in series.

8. Generator according to claim 1, made using printed circuit technology, and wherein each resistance comprises three surface mounted component resistances.

9. Generator according to claim 8, wherein each capacitor is a patch capacitor.

10. Generator according to claim 1, wherein N is equal to 8.

11. Generator according to claim 1, wherein the avalanche transistors are FMMT 415 type made by Zetex Company.

12. Streak camera using a ramp generator according to claim 1.