General Atomics Energy Products

PRESS RELEASE
Contact: Randy Hartsock 858-522-8403
February 1, 2007, San Diego, CA

GENERAL ATOMICS ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS OFFERS NEW LOW ESL & LOW ESR
CAPACITORS FOR LINEAR TRANSFORM DRIVERS AND PULSE FORMING NETWORKS

As an answer to a growing requirement for 100kV low inductance (ESL), low resistance (ESR) fast discharge capacitors for Linear Transformer Drivers (LTD) and Pulse Forming Networks, General Atomics Electronic Systems released a new line of double-ended plastic case capacitors, Series PDS/PDSS.

These capacitors are similar to the Series S/SS, single-ended capacitors originally developed for Marx generators, but will be used where a double-ended configuration produces a lower system inductance. Support from Sandia National Laboratories has helped to characterize the effects various design options have on a capacitor's inductance and resistance.

Series PDS/PDSS capacitors are designed for discharge frequencies in the mega hertz range. The ESR's of current designs vary from 0.06 to 0.13 ohms at the self-resonant frequency with measured ESL values from 8 to 15nH. Standard sizes have cross-sections of either 2.3 x 5.9" (PDS) or 4 x 6" (PDSS) with brass rails at opposite ends.

For a list of current designs or an application questionnaire visit the Series PDS/PDSS page and our Application Questionnaires page.

General Atomics Energy Products (GAEP) is a leading supplier of high voltage capacitors, high voltage high power AC/DC switching power supplies, power conditioning and pulse power systems used in pulse power research facilities, lasers, accelerators, and a variety of other applications. GAEP is part of General Atomics Electronic Systems (GA-ESI), an affiliate company of General Atomics. The GAEP product lines, formerly part of Maxwell Technologies, Inc., were purchased by General Atomics in March 2000 and merged with GA-ESI in January 2001. GA-ESI also designs and manufactures radiation-monitoring systems, and terminal automation products and manufactures and tests synthetic aperture radar (SAR) for the LYNX unmanned aircraft system.