A New Modular Structure of Marx Generator Based on Interleaved Boost Converter Operating in Discontinuous Conduction Mode

In this article, a new modular structure of Marx generators (MGs) based on interleaved boost converter is proposed. The converter operates in discontinuous conduction mode to generate a high-voltage pulsed power with a common low-voltage source. Unlimited stages can be added to the proposed structure to reach lower maximum voltage stress for the semiconductors or to generate several kilovolts of the output pulses, while the voltage of the semiconductors remains constant. This structure resulted in a higher pulse repetition rate, fewer semiconductor elements, and lower semiconductor voltage stress in comparison to conventional MGs. Hence, the proposed structure is applicable for and efficient in supplying plasma applications with high-voltage pulses. The theoretical foundation of the introduced converter is presented and its performance is simulated using OrCAD software. Based on the obtained results, the maximum voltage of the output pulse is 40 times the input voltage in a single-stage structure. An 80-W prototype of the proposed structure was built to validate the accuracy of the theoretical foundation and the simulation results.