Talk:Pulse-forming network

What does this actually mean?: Use of transformers in specific numbers can achieve an efficient match between a klystron and the pulse-forming network. --Light current 02:54, 21 January 2006 (UTC)

Wording has been changed to (hopefully) make the meaning clearer... Bert 21:21, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

Diagram anyone?
Does anyone have a cct diagram (that we could use) of a pulser or PFN?--Light current 17:45, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

(Reply) Although it's probably not the easiest to find, see Vol. 5 of the MIT Radiation Lab Series for schematics.[Other] good texts on radar should have one, also. Nikevich (talk) 13:28, 29 March 2009 (UTC)

The power switch in tube days (and later) was an hydrogen thyratron; hydrogen, iirc, gave predictable timing (fast triggering, and consistent delay between triggerand full conduction). Nikevich (talk) 13:28, 29 March 2009 (UTC)

Use of real TLs
Bert, why did you remove my comment about the superiority over discrete PFNs (due to dist C & L) of lengths of TL as pulse gens?--Light current 23:37, 26 March 2006 (UTC)

Not very helpful
Capacitors and inductors, I guessed as much. So how do I get my 2.5ns 8kV pulse? This laser won't fire itself people!! 84.197.178.75 (talk) 18:34, 4 March 2012 (UTC)


 * I assume you're trying to send a pulse through a flashtube to fire your laser. Even if you go through great pains to reduce all inductance to its lowest possible level, including buying some special low-inductance capacitors and using the shortest flashtube possible, the shortest flash you can probably expect is 0.1 microsecond. However, most lasers do not require such a short pulse in order to produce one. The laser pulse will almost always be shorter than the flash, especally if you use q-awitching or other ultra-fast laser-pulsing methods. It is most common to set you flash pulse-length to the fluorescence lifetime of the medium. For instance, this is typically around 100 microseconds for Nd:YAG, and 2 milliseconds for ruby. Zaereth (talk) 22:18, 4 March 2012 (UTC)
 * Actually, it was a TEA (atmospheric pressure) nitrogen laser which has a pulse width of about 2 ns. But I've given up on that, getting more than a very weak pulse involves stuff like Blumleins with distilled water as dielectric or a marx generator in oil with synchronized spark gaps.
 * A low pressure CO2 laser seems a better project, at least it can burn stuff. ;-)  84.197.178.75 (talk) 22:08, 14 March 2012 (UTC)
 * TEA nitrogen laser? You have the old Scientific American book, I take it? You can make that one in an afternoon, and its Blumlein is just a big sheet of good quality PCB. Andy Dingley (talk) 22:31, 14 March 2012 (UTC)

was invented in 1937 by Blumlein...
Any evidence on 1937? At that time he was completely immersed in the television project. The patent application is dated Oct. 10, 1941 (and published, for security reasons, only after WW2). His first PFL application (a different one) - February 1939. Retired electrician (talk) 12:34, 4 June 2018 (UTC)
 * I have the Alexander book. If I remember, I'll check that. Andy Dingley (talk) 13:24, 4 June 2018 (UTC)