Nu-Trek is presently working on a low jitter, high voltage switch together with Texas Tech. Phase I goals are 100-300 kV holdoff voltage, 10-40 kA current, 1-3 ns rise time, and 1-3 ns jitter. The switches will be used to construct a soft bremsstrahlung simulator, with endpoint energy of 125-250 kV. The simulator will be used for effects testing. It will offer a fast rise-time, short-pulse alternative to the Modular Bremsstrahlung Source (MBS). The MBS has a similar endpoint energy, but an 13-15 ns rise time and 35 ns FWHM.

Nu-Trek scientists also have extensive experience designing bremsstrahlung, e-beam, and soft x-ray diodes and loads. The sources were used for effects testing. We are also very well versed at adapting the sources to meet specific test requirements. Some of the publications that cover this work are listed below.

1) Pulsed power design for a compact x-ray simulator, with Dick Miller, et al., 12th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, June 1999.

2) Time dependent electron deposition with thermal transport as applied to survivable anodes in flash x-ray machines, 12th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, June 1999.

3) Integrated, interactive modeling of plasma opening switches, plasma radiation sources and bremsstrahlung diodes with commercial circuit analysis software tools, with Charlie Gilbert, et al., 12th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, June 1999.

4) Application of error analysis in the evaluation of electron beam potentials from the ratio of filtered x-ray detectors, 12th IEEE Pulsed Power Conference, June 1999.

5) Improved Low-Fluence Electron-Beam Uniformity on BLACKJACK 3,J. Rad. Effects, 9, No. 2, pp. 20-26 (July 1991).