Pulse drive sources are critical components of high-power microwave systems. Existing drive sources based on Tesla+PFL or LTD technology offer good waveform quality but are limited by their large size and weight. PFN-Marx technology sequentially stacks voltages during pulse discharge, which requires relatively low insulation and makes it an ideal technical approach for drive source miniaturization. However, current PFN-Marx-based drive sources struggle to balance compact structural design with output waveform quality.

This study aims to design a compact high-power pulse drive source based on PFN-Marx technology to meet the requirements of a specific high-power microwave system.

To achieve this goal, a 7-stage unipolar pulse charging PFN-Marx generator is employed, with a high-power constant-current charging power supply powered by lithium batteries used to charge the primary capacitor of the Tesla transformer. The PFN modules are designed with identical charging loop inductors to ensure synchronized pulse charging waveforms, and their modular structure allows for flexible scalability. Additionally, the air-core Tesla transformer (with a coupling coefficient greater than 0.8) is integrated with the PFN-Marx within a high-voltage chamber filled with SF₆ gas to ensure insulation.

The results show that the drive source outputs a single pulse energy of 45.6 J, and can output a quasi-square wave pulse at a 75 Ω load, with an amplitude of −189.2 kV, a pulse width of 93.2 ns, a rise time of 8.4 ns, and a peak power of 477 MW. The lithium-ion battery charging and control power supply has dimensions of 482 mm×443 mm×177 mm and weighs 12.6 kg; the integrated Tesla transformer and PFN-Marx generator have dimensions of ϕ370 mm×848 mm and weigh 28.7 kg. At a repetition rate of 5 Hz, the average output voltage is −183.4 kV, with a voltage dispersion of 4.1%.

Therefore, this compact PFN-Marx-based pulse drive source achieves both miniaturization and high-quality waveform output, laying the foundation for the development of higher-power and higher-performance compact pulse drive sources.