Description
Solid state components have revolutionized high voltage pulsed power systems. The typical device voltage for a solid state device (1-3 kV) is generally much less than the output voltage for a high voltage application. In transformer systems, in particular the impedance varies as the square of the step-up so that the required impedance of the primary system is N^2 lower than the output impedance. This can result in difficult requirements for both the transformer, and the "wires" connecting to the transformer. A mechanical design of the connection which involves striplines can be performed to mitigate this problem. A simpler method using flexible lines would be attractive in many systems as well. In this paper we calculate and measure the inductance and impedance of a variety of configurations based on the ubiquitous “ribbon cable” and it's variants. Both standard cables, standard cables with connectors, and 12 kV cables built by Cicoil and others will be evaluated. Voltage capability and inductance are of particular importance. The RF resistance of ribbon cables in comparison with Litz wire will also be discussed.
