Controllable high voltage source having fast settling time

TLDR: In this paper, a high voltage dc stepping power supply for sampling a utilization device such as an electrostatic analyzer has a relatively fast settling time for voltage steps and includes a waveform generator for deriving a low voltage staircase waveform that feeds a relatively long response time power supply deriving output voltage generally equal to a predetermined multiple of the input voltage.

Abstract: A high voltage dc stepping power supply for sampling a utilization device such as an electrostatic analyzer has a relatively fast settling time for voltage steps The supply includes a waveform generator for deriving a low voltage staircase waveform that feeds a relatively long response time power supply deriving a high output voltage generally equal to a predetermined multiple of the input voltage In the power supply, an ac voltage modulated by the staircase waveform is applied to a step-up transformer and thence to a voltage multiplier stack to form a high voltage, relatively poor replica of the input waveform at an intermediate output terminal A constant dc source, applied to the input of the power supply, biases the voltage at the intermediate output terminal to be in excess of the predetermined multiple of the input voltage A fast shunt regulator responsive to the input signal provides an output which is a faithful high voltage reproduction of the staircase waveform The shunt regulator includes a solid state shunt device connected to the intermediate output terminal via a dropping resistor The supply output is taken from the junction of the resistor and the shunt device