In this paper we present the design and test results of pulse generators based on air-insulated linear-transformer-driver stages that drive a vacuum transmission line. A custom designed unit, referred to as a capacitor block, was developed for use as a main structural element of the transformer stages. It incorporates two capacitors GA 35426 (40 nF, 100 kV) and a multichannel multigap gas switch. Two types of stages were developed: (1) stage LTD-20 with four modules in parallel and five capacitor blocks in each module (in tests of this stage current amplitude up to 850 kA with $\sim 140\mathrm{ns}$ rise time was obtained on a $0.05\Omega$ load at 100 kV charging voltage); (2) stage LTD-4 with two modules in parallel and two capacitor blocks in each module. Several installations were built on the base of these stages, including a linear transformer, consisting of two identical LTD-20 stages in series, and a high power electron accelerator on the base of LTD-4 stages. The design, tests results, and main problems are presented and discussed in this paper for these installations.

• Received 27 September 2012

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevSTAB.16.050401

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Published by the American Physical Society