Abstract
Pulsed electric fields in the sub-microsecond range are being increasingly used in biomedical and biotechnology applications, where the demand for high-voltage and high-frequency pulse generators with enhanced performance and pulse flexibility is pushing the limits of pulse power solid state technology. In the scope of this article, a new pulsed generator, which includes four independent MOSFET based Marx modulators, operating individually or combined, controlled from a computer user interface, is described. The generator is capable of applying different pulse shapes, from unipolar to bipolar pulses into biological loads, in symmetric and asymmetric modes, with voltages up to 6.5 kV and currents up to 65 A, in pulse widths from 100 ns to 100 µs, including short-circuit protection, current and voltage monitoring. This new scientific tool can open new research possibility due to the flexibility it provides in pulse generation, particularly in adjusting pulse width, polarity, and amplitude from pulse-to-pulse. It also permits operating in burst mode up to 5 MHz in four independent channels, for example in the application of synchronized asymmetric bipolar pulses, which is shown together with other characteristics of the generator.
Highlights
There is a growing demand for high-voltage pulse generators, with pulses between 1 and 10 kV, with 10 s A, able to deliver high-frequency pulse bursts, in the MHz range
The application of high-voltage pulses, in the range of 100 s ns to 100 s μs, is very important within electroporation-based therapies and technologies in medicine and biotechnology, for example in gene electrotransfer, tissue ablation, extraction of compounds, or electrochemotherapy [2,3,4]. These pulses can be applied with different shapes; for example, symmetric unipolar pulses were reported [5] for biophysical tumor treatment and [6] for platelet activation and asymmetric unipolar pulses was reported [7] for tissues ablation and [8] for electroporation of mammal cells
High-frequency burst of symmetric bipolar microsecond range high-voltage pulses have been recently reported [9] to minimize the effect of muscle contractions during irreversible electroporation, Ref. [8] for electroporation of mammal cells, Ref. [10] for inducing irreversible electroporation in brain tumors and in [11] for inhibition of tumor growth
Summary
There is a growing demand for high-voltage pulse generators, with pulses between 1 and 10 kV, with 10 s A, able to deliver high-frequency pulse bursts, in the MHz range. The application of high-voltage pulses, in the range of 100 s ns to 100 s μs, is very important within electroporation-based therapies and technologies in medicine and biotechnology, for example in gene electrotransfer, tissue ablation, extraction of compounds, or electrochemotherapy [2,3,4] These pulses can be applied with different shapes; for example, symmetric unipolar pulses were reported [5] for biophysical tumor treatment and [6] for platelet activation and asymmetric unipolar pulses was reported [7] for tissues ablation and [8] for electroporation of mammal cells. Many of these applications share the decisive advantage that the pulse width, amplitude, and polarity can be changed from pulse-to-pulse operation
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
