Patent ID: 7301250

Claim:
A pulse generator that generates a voltage pulse that is applied to a load, the pulse generator comprising: a plurality of voltage cells connected in series, each voltage cell comprising: a main switch; a capacitor connected in series with the main switch, wherein the capacitor is also connected in series with other capacitors and with other main switches in the a plurality of voltage cells when the main switches in the plurality of voltage cells are on such that a voltage pulse is delivered directly to a load by the series of capacitors, and wherein the capacitor is isolated from the other capacitors in the plurality of voltage cells when the main switch is turned off, and a return switch that provides a return path for a charging current that charges the capacitor when the main switch is off and the return switch is on; a first switch drive to control the main switch; a second switch drive to control the return switch; a first diode string connected with each of the a plurality of voltage cells, wherein the charging current is supplied to each capacitor in each voltage cell through the diode string; a second diode string connected with the first switch drive and the second switch drive of each voltage cell; and an auxiliary power supply connected to the second diode string to provide power to the first and second switch drives.