Pulsed Power for
Nuclear Deterrence

Pulsed Power Solutions for Extreme Physics and Strategic Programs

Ultra-fast radiography of physical phenomena requires the emission of an extremely intense and very brief X-ray pulse, precisely synchronized with the event defined by the experimenter. By delivering nanosecond-scale energy bursts, flash radiography makes it possible to capture dynamic processes occurring within dense materials under extreme conditions.

Several technical approaches can be implemented to generate such pulses, including linear accelerators or impulse generators—such as Marx generators, Inductive Voltage Adders (IVA), or Linear Transformer Drivers (LTD)—typically paired with a dedicated electronic diode. In all configurations, pulsed power constitutes the core of the system, enabling the controlled delivery of very high energy within extremely short timeframes.

Flash radiography is a key diagnostic tool in high-energy-density physics and advanced defense research. In the context of nuclear deterrence programs, it supports experimental campaigns aimed at understanding material behavior and validating complex physical models, thereby contributing to the reliability, safety, and performance assessment of strategic systems without full-scale nuclear testing.

Drawing on its recognized expertise in pulsed power engineering, ITOPP offers innovative and optimized solutions tailored to the specific requirements and constraints of each client. Depending on performance objectives, safety considerations, and operational environments, ITOPP can adapt proven technologies or develop fully customized system architectures designed to meet demanding technical standards while ensuring reliability, integration readiness, and ergonomic operation.

Exploring Extreme Material Behavior

Under extremely high pressures—reaching several million bars—the behavior of materials is still largely poorly understood. These extreme conditions can induce phase transitions, strength evolution, microstructural changes, and variations in equations of state, which are critical for high-energy-density physics, advanced materials research, and strategic applications. Experimental means to study such phenomena are rare and highly specialized.

Isentropic (quasi-isentropic) compression provides a controlled approach to explore these regimes. Using pulsed current generators, intense currents of several million amperes flow through specially designed electrodes, creating magnetic fields that produce controlled mechanical pressure on the sample. Unlike traditional shock methods, this technique allows smooth compression along near-constant entropy paths, limiting excessive heating while enabling precise investigation. Advanced diagnostics, such as laser Doppler interferometry (VISAR/PDV), allow detailed measurement of velocity, stress evolution, and compression history. Hypervelocity flyer plate experiments complement these studies, providing controlled impact conditions to investigate material response under extreme strain rates.

ITOPP is the only company worldwide to offer a wide range of isentropic compression generators, enabling systematic behavioral studies under extreme dynamic pressures. Depending on customer requirements, ITOPP can adapt pre-existing technologies or deliver fully custom designs, integrating pulse shaping, high-current delivery, and advanced diagnostics.

Our engineering approach ensures performance, safety, reproducibility, and integration readiness, while our manufacturing know-how allows compact, robust, and high-performance systems. ITOPP’s expertise provides partners with reliable, turnkey solutions for scientific discovery, materials research, and strategic technology programs, offering controlled access to extreme physical regimes that few others can provide.

Studying Material Response Under Extreme Dynamic Conditions

Electromagnetic forces allow for the controlled and reproducible acceleration of projectiles. This can be applied for low speeds (a few hundred meters per second) but also for very high speeds (above 10 km/s). Such capabilities enable studies on hyper-speed impacts across multiple fields:

• Defense: analyzing the effects of impacts on protective structures, armor, and the physics of energetic materials
• Space: simulating micrometeorite impacts on satellites and spacecraft to inform design, resilience, and risk mitigation

Hypervelocity projectile experiments provide critical insight into material behavior under extreme dynamic loading, including high-strain deformation, fragmentation, and failure mechanisms. By reproducing these conditions in a controlled, repeatable, and measurable manner, researchers gain high-fidelity data essential for material science, industrial applications, and strategic programs, with discreet relevance to defense and national security.

ITOPP is offering a full range of pulsed power systems for projectile acceleration and hypervelocity impact studies. Using advanced electromagnetic architectures, these systems generate intense, fast-rise currents, producing reproducible forces that accelerate flyer plates with precise control over velocity and impact conditions.

ITOPP’s expertise allows the adaptation of existing technologies or the creation of fully custom solutions, integrating performance standards, operational safety, and experimental ergonomics. These capabilities enable partners to conduct robust, reproducible experiments for studying material response under extreme conditions, supporting scientific discovery, industrial innovation, and strategic programs.