Pulse Transformers

PULSE TRANSFORMERS

Application Notes > Custom Transformers > Pulse Transformers

Gowanda designs and manufactures pulse transformers for various applications.

A pulse transformer is a transformer that is optimized for transmitting rectangular electrical pulses, which are pulses with fast rise and fall times and a relatively constant amplitude. A trigger transformer is a specific type of pulse transformer. It is used in a circuit to initiate some sort of action or event.

Pulse Transformer Design

- - To minimize distortion of the pulse shape, a pulse transformer needs to have low values of leakage inductance and distributed capacitance, and a high open-circuit inductance.
  - In power-type pulse transformers, a low coupling capacitance (between the primary and secondary) is important to protect the circuitry on the primary side from high-powered transients created by the load. For the same reason, high insulation resistance and high breakdown voltage are required.
  - A good transient response is necessary to maintain the rectangular pulse shape at the secondary, because a pulse with slow edges would create switching losses in the power semiconductors.

Pulse Transformer designs vary widely in terms of power rating, inductance, voltage level (low to high), operating frequency, size, impedance, bandwidth (frequency response), packaging, winding capacitance, and other parameters. Designers try to minimize parasitic elements such as leakage inductance and winding capacitance by using winding configurations which optimize the coupling between the windings.

Applications

Small versions called signal types are used in digital logic and telecommunications circuits, often for matching logic drivers to transmission lines.
Medium sized power versions are used in power-control circuits such as camera flash controllers
Larger power versions are used in the electrical power distribution industry to interface low-voltage control circuitry to the high-voltage gates of power semiconductors

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