Progress in the application of ultrafast optics and photoconductive switching for the generation of high-power ultrawideband electrical impulses is reviewed. Several techniques are described. Megawatt pulses with picosecond risetimes and falltimes and variable pulse duration have been obtained. Using a photoconductive switch both as a closing and opening switch in an inductive energy storage system, an electrical pulse power enhancement by a factor of 50 has been demonstrated. The unique feature common in all the approaches considered is the jitter-free nature of the picosecond photoconductive switch. Since the switching is jitter-free, the electrical impulses thus generated are in complete time synchronization with the command laser pulse.
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