Miniaturized two-stack Blumlein pulser with a variable repetition-rate for non-thermal irreversible-electroporation experiments.
Non-thermal irreversible electroporation (NTIRE) to avoid thermal damage to cells during intense DC ns pulsed electric fields (nsPEFs) is a recent modality for medical applications. This mechanism, related to bioelectrical dynamics of the cell, is linked to the effect of a DC electric field and a threshold effect with an electrically stimulated membrane for the charge distribution in the cell. To create the NTIRE condition, the pulse width of the nsPEF should be shorter than the charging time constant of the membrane related to the cell radius, membrane capacitance, cytoplasm resistivity, and medium resistivity. It is necessary to design and fabricate a very intense nanosecond DC electric field pulser that is capable of producing voltages up to the level of 100 kV/cm with an artificial pulse width (∼ns) with controllable repetition rates. Many devices to generate intense DC nsPEF using various pulse-forming line technologies have been introduced thus far. However, the previous Blumlein pulse-generating devices are clearly inefficient due to the energy loss between the input voltage and the output voltage. An improved two-stage stacked Blumlein pulse-forming line can overcome this limitation and decrease the energy loss from a DC power supply. A metal oxide silicon field-effect transistor switch with a fast rise and fall time would enable a high repetition rate (max. 100 kHz) and good endurance against very high voltages (DC ∼ 30 kV). The load is designed to match the sample for exposure to cell suspensions consisting of a 200 Ω resistor matched with a Blumlein circuit and two electrodes without the characteristic RC time effect of the circuit (capacitance =0.174 pF).
Korea Heavy Ion Medical Accelerator Project, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Science, Seoul 01812, South Korea.
Sun-Hong
SH
Min
Institute for Basic Science Center for Axion and Precision Physics Research, Daejeon 305-701, South Korea.
Ohjoon
O
Kwon
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, South Korea.
Matlabjon
M
Sattorov
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, South Korea.
In-Keun
0000000348791887
IK
Baek
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, South Korea.
Seontae
S
Kim
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, South Korea.
Jin-Young
JY
Jeong
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, South Korea.
Dongpyo
D
Hong
Hanwha Corporation, Gumi 730-030, South Korea.
Seunghyuk
S
Park
Department of Physics and Astronomy, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-747, South Korea.
Gun-Sik
GS
Park