A Novel Concept of High-Voltage Balancing on Series-Connected Transistors for Use in High-Speed Instrumentation

Alexandr Despotuli (), Viacheslav Kazmiruk, Anastasia Despotuli and Alexandra Andreeva
Additional contact information
Alexandr Despotuli: Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMT RAS), 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia
Viacheslav Kazmiruk: Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMT RAS), 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia
Anastasia Despotuli: Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMT RAS), 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia
Alexandra Andreeva: Institute of Microelectronics Technology and High Purity Materials, Russian Academy of Sciences (IMT RAS), 142432 Chernogolovka, Russia

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 5, 1-16

Abstract: The novel concept of reliable voltage balancing on N fast high-voltage (HV) transistors, connected in series, is verified by computer modeling/experimental testing. The essence of the concept is to transfer the balancing function from conventional snubbers, resistive dividers, varistors, etc., or sophisticated gate-side control techniques, to “individual” resistive loads (of transistors) connected to “individual” HV sources of power. The concept has been implemented in the recently patented architecture of HV rectangular pulse generators. The operation of any series-connected stack requires (1) synchronization of control actions on gates of all N transistors; (2) static HV balancing on all transistors in OFF states; and (3) dynamic HV balancing during ON↔OFF transients. The goals of the new design are to achieve an exceptionally high level of HV balancing in modes (2) and (3), as well as to simplify the process of configuring/customizing the circuit. Testing confirms that new generators exhibit minimal ripple during ON→OFF transients. Reliable operation with high-quality rectangular pulses is ensured even at a voltage slew rate of more than 100 kV/µs, while each transistor blocks a voltage close to the maximum value specified in its datasheet. The presented novelties are likely suitable for high-speed instrumentation.

Keywords: high-voltage; rectangular pulses; series-connected transistors; voltage balancing; high-voltage generators; high-speed instrumentation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1084/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/5/1084/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:18:y:2025:i:5:p:1084-:d:1598043

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().