"Every product is a packaged answer to a specific question. The question is what determines whether the product is right for your application."
Berkeley Nucleonics Corporation acquired the Directed Energy, Inc. product line in 2021. The combined BNC-DEI portfolio spans precision pulse and delay generators (the legacy BNC strength) and high-power pulsers (the legacy DEI strength). The result is a product family that covers the full pulser landscape from fast-trigger generators at TTL levels through 10 kV high-voltage modulators and 450 A laser-diode drivers.
This chapter is a working catalog of the product line. Each entry follows the same template: what the product is, what it is for, the key specs, application examples, where the operating limits are, and what complementary products in the BNC-DEI line work with it. The goal is to let an engineer match a pulser to an application from this chapter alone, without leaving the book to chase data sheets.
The catalog is organized in four sections: high-voltage pulsers (the PVX family and the Model 310H), high-current laser diode drivers (PCX series), OEM modules (PCO series and Model 507/508), and related products (Model 645 signal generator, 6040 Mainframe).
The flagship of the high-voltage pulser line. A direct-coupled, air-cooled, solid-state half-bridge design with output to ±10 kV.
Key specs. Output 0 to ±10 kV, rise and fall times below 100 ns, pulse widths 50 ns to DC, repetition rate up to 1 kHz at full amplitude (more at lower amplitudes per the SOA graph). Air cooled. Half-bridge topology with stacked MOSFETs.
Applications. Time-of-flight mass spectrometer extraction grids, particle-beam deflection plates in accelerators, Pockels cell drivers for laser Q-switching, microchannel plate gating, photomultiplier tube gating, image-intensifier modulation.
Where the limits are. Driving capacitive loads, the C × V² × F relationship sets the maximum repetition rate at high voltage. Driving resistive loads, the maximum continuous current limits the lowest acceptable load resistance. Arc protection circuits trigger automatically on output shorts and protect the device, but repeated activations stress the protection components.
Complementary products. Pair with the BNC Model 645 or 6040 for trigger generation. Use the supplied RG-11 high-voltage coaxial cable, never substitute lower-voltage cable.
A faster version of the PVX architecture at lower voltage. Output to ±1500 V with 25 ns rise and fall times.
Key specs. Output 0 to ±1500 V, rise and fall times below 25 ns, pulse repetition frequency up to 240 kHz at lower amplitudes, pulse widths 50 ns to DC. Air cooled. Half-bridge topology.
Applications. Faster Pockels cell drivers, fast deflection plates, semiconductor I-V curve tracing under pulse, time-resolved photoconductivity measurements, pulsed gating of fast detectors.
Where the limits are. Same C × V² × F constraint as the PVX-4110, scaled to the lower voltage. The 25 ns rise time depends on the cable and load: capacitive loads and long cables both extend the effective rise time at the load.
Complementary products. RG-62 (93 Ω) cable shipped with the device. The Model 645 ARB function generator covers the full trigger requirements.
A version of the PVX-4000 family that accepts external high-voltage supplies for adjustable output voltage from 0 to ±2000 V. The "EX" suffix indicates external supply requirement.
Key specs. Output 0 to ±2000 V from external supplies (one positive, one negative). Rise and fall times below 50 ns. Pulse widths from 500 ns to DC. Programmable via front panel, RS-232, or USB. Differential supply voltage limit 2000 V.
Applications. Same domain as PVX-4110 and PVX-4150 but with user-adjustable output voltage. Useful for development and calibration work where the same pulse generator must operate across a range of voltages.
Where the limits are. External supply quality affects pulse fidelity. Use regulated, low-noise supplies. Differential voltage limit must be respected: applying +1500 V and -1500 V to the inputs produces 3000 V differential, which exceeds the device's spec.
Complementary products. The Model 645 trigger generator. External supplies should be filtered with capacitor banks at the device input to handle peak charge currents during pulses.
A high-voltage plug-in module for the BNC 6040 Mainframe. Less peak voltage than the PVX series but considerably faster, with sub-10 ns rise time.
Key specs. Output 0 to ±800 V (selectable polarity via internal switch), rise time below 10 ns, fall time below 15 ns, pulse widths 25 ns and up with droop under 1% per microsecond. Repetition rate to 40 kHz at 800 V, 100 kHz at 600 V.
Applications. Fast Pockels cell drivers where amplitude is modest but rise time matters. Pulsed semiconductor characterization at fast rise times. Fast detector gating below kV levels.
Where the limits are. 800 V is below where most BNC-DEI products operate, so the Model 310H fills a niche between TTL-level generators and the PVX-4150. Pulse droop above 1% per microsecond on long pulses means the device is best suited to sub-microsecond pulse widths.
Complementary products. Requires the 6040 Mainframe. Pairs naturally with other 6040 plug-in modules for multi-channel timing.
The PCX series covers laser-diode driver applications, which need precise high-current pulses with low jitter.
A versatile laser-diode driver capable of both quasi-CW (pulsed) and CW (DC) operation, with output current to 21.5 A.
Key specs. CW output 0.05 to 5.8 A. Pulsed output 3 to 21.5 A. Compliance voltage to 24 V. Output power to 375 W. Touch-screen operation, RS-232 and USB remote interfaces. Bias current can be pulsed and triggered independently of main current trigger.
Applications. Diode laser characterization. Bar and array testing. Q-switched solid-state laser pumping at moderate power. Low-power LiDAR.
Where the limits are. 24 V compliance limits the maximum forward voltage of the load. Diode arrays with forward voltage above 24 V need a higher-compliance product. Output power at 375 W is the average, not peak: high-current pulsed mode at high duty cycle hits the average power limit before the peak current limit.
Complementary products. Use with the BNC Model 645 for external triggering. For higher-current applications, the PCX-7500 series.
The flagship high-current pulser. PID-controlled current loop with 14 parallel stages, output current 10 to 450 A. Several compliance variants for different load forward voltages.
Key specs. Output current 10 to 450 A. Compliance voltage variants 5, 25, 50, 75, 100, or 110 V (plus EX model with external compliance supply). Pulse width 4 µs to 5000 µs. Pulse repetition rate 8 Hz to 10 kHz. Output power to 1000 W. Stripline output cable for low inductance.
Applications. High-power laser diode bar and array testing. Pumping of solid-state lasers (Nd:YAG, Yb:YAG, fiber lasers). Industrial laser systems development. LiDAR transmitter qualification at high amplitude.
Where the limits are. PID-controlled topology means flat-top droop better than 1% on long pulses, but it also means the device "destroys itself if used improperly," per the V1 manual: pushing past the SOA can damage the parallel current loops faster than the protection logic can intervene. Read the SOA graph. Choose the compliance variant carefully: 5 V compliance is right for very-low-Vf diodes, 110 V for high-Vf arrays.
Complementary products. The stripline output cable is custom and non-substitutable. The Model 645 covers triggering. For instrumentation, a Pearson current monitor and high-bandwidth scope are required for verification.
The PCO series and Model 507/508 are designed for embedded applications where the user integrates the pulser into a larger system rather than using it as a benchtop instrument.
A compact, economical OEM module for fast pulses at modest current. Variable output 500 mA to 5 A, pulse widths 34 ns to 1 µs, repetition rate to 865 kHz.
Key specs. 500 mA to 5 A output. 34 ns to 1 µs pulse widths. PRF up to 865 kHz. Pulsed current monitor output. Open-board form factor.
Applications. Range-finding laser diode drivers. LiDAR for ADAS (advanced driver-assistance systems) and autonomy. Atmospheric communication. Any embedded application needing high-current nanosecond pulses at moderate amplitude.
Where the limits are. 5 A peak limits the laser-diode bar current. 34 ns minimum pulse width is set by the switching topology. The device is optimized for fast pulses, not for long-pulse work.
Complementary products. Pairs with the BNC Model 645 for benchtop development, then integrates as a board-level module in production systems.
The most powerful OEM module. 125 A output with adjustable rise time from 30 ns to 2.4 µs.
Key specs. Output to 125 A. Compliance voltage to 20 V. Adjustable rise time 30 ns to 2.4 µs. Pulse widths 100 ns to DC. Repetition rate single-shot to 500 kHz. Included CVR current monitor output.
Applications. High-power laser-diode bar drivers in OEM systems. Pulsed characterization platforms. Pump-laser drivers in industrial laser systems. Any embedded high-current pulse application.
Where the limits are. 20 V compliance limits the load forward voltage. 125 A peak with 20 V compliance means 2500 W peak, well within typical short-pulse capabilities but limiting at high duty cycle. The 100 ns minimum pulse width is rarely a constraint in real applications.
Complementary products. Like the PCO-7125, integrates as a board module. The included CVR provides directly usable current monitoring without external sensors.
A current pulser specifically designed for airbag squib, pyrotechnic, and explosive detonator testing. Single-shot, with surprisingly long pulse widths.
Key specs. Output to 25 A. Pulse widths 100 µs to 100 ms. Delay 0 to 99.9999998 s. TTL sync output to T0. RS232 control. Two or four independent channels.
Applications. Airbag squib testing. Pyrotechnic detonator characterization. Initiator qualification for ordnance applications. Solenoid and relay activation in test stands.
Where the limits are. Single-shot operation: this device fires and recharges, with significant time between shots. Not suitable for high-PRF work.
Complementary products. Standalone, with internal trigger.
The next-generation update to the Model 507. Lower peak current but better suited to modern ignition devices and with more sequencing capability.
Key specs. Output to 6 A. Pulse widths 5 µs to 100 ms. Delay 0 to 99.9999998 s. TTL sync output to T0. Voltage and current monitor outputs. Multichannel modes for DC current testing, capacitor discharge modeling, Bruceton analysis, and Neyer d-optimal tests. Burst mode for up to 250 repetitive pulses.
Applications. Air bag squib testing (modern devices with lower current ratings). Pyrotechnic display testing. High-speed photography flash control. Explosive material testing. Laboratory ignition development.
Where the limits are. 6 A peak is the design choice for modern ignition device compatibility. The Bruceton and Neyer modes are specific to ordnance reliability test methodology and are not general-purpose features.
Complementary products. Standalone with internal trigger and sequencing.
A precision pulse-and-function generator that works as an external trigger source for the entire BNC-DEI pulser line. Designed for the role.
Key specs. 500 µHz to 10 MHz pulse output. 1 µHz to 25 MHz square wave output. 200 ps RMS jitter. 10 ns to 100 ns variable rise time. Graphical display, numeric keypad, USB / LAN / GPIB control with SCPI command set.
Applications. External trigger source for the PVX, PCX, and PCO families. Standalone signal generator for laboratory use. Calibration source for time-domain measurements.
Where the limits are. 50 MHz upper bandwidth is below where the fastest research pulsers operate. For sub-nanosecond rise time triggers, dedicated faster trigger sources are required.
Complementary products. Pairs with every BNC-DEI pulser. The 6040 Mainframe covers higher-frequency timing applications.
A flagship modular pulse generator that accepts plug-in modules for application-specific needs (the Model 310H high-voltage module is one example). Industry-leading specifications for jitter and pulse width.
Key specs. Output frequency 0.01 Hz to 100 MHz. Pulse widths 3 ns to 640 s. Timing accuracy within 0.2%. Less than 25 ps jitter. 1 ns resolution.
Applications. Multi-channel timing for complex pulsed-power systems. Synchronization of multiple instruments in a pulsed-power experiment. Reference-grade pulse and delay generation.
Where the limits are. A timing instrument, not a power instrument. To deliver high-voltage pulses, pair with a plug-in module (Model 310H) or with an external high-power pulser.
Complementary products. Plug-in modules including the Model 310H. External trigger source for any BNC-DEI pulser. The Model 645 is the lower-cost alternative for applications not needing 6040's precision.
For voltage pulser selection:
| Voltage class | Rise time | Recommended product |
|---|---|---|
| Below 1 kV | Fast (sub-10 ns) | Model 310H + 6040 Mainframe |
| 1 to 2 kV | Fast (25 ns) | PVX-4150 |
| 2 kV adjustable | Moderate (50 ns) | PVX-4000-2kV-EX |
| 10 kV | Moderate (100 ns) | PVX-4110 |
For current pulser selection:
| Current class | Pulse width | Compliance | Recommended product |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 A peak | nanoseconds | 12 V | PCO-7125 |
| 25 A | microseconds | varies | PCX-7420 |
| 125 A | 100 ns to DC | 20 V | PCO-6131 |
| 450 A | microseconds | 5 to 110 V | PCX-7500 (variant) |
| 25 A single-shot | up to 100 ms | high | Model 507 |
| 6 A | 5 µs to 100 ms | high | Model 508 |
For trigger and timing:
| Need | Recommended product |
|---|---|
| Function generation, modest jitter | Model 645 |
| Multi-channel timing, low jitter | 6040 Mainframe |
The BNC web site (bncscientific.com) carries the current data sheets and ordering information. Contact factory applications engineering for unusual requirements or for systems-integration questions.
Which BNC-DEI product is the right choice for a Pockels cell driver requiring 8 kV output and 50 ns rise time? a. PVX-4150 b. PVX-4110 c. Model 310H d. PCX-7500
The PCX-7500's PID-controlled topology achieves flat-top droop better than: a. 0.01% b. 0.1% c. 1% d. 10%
The Model 6040 Mainframe's jitter is specified at: a. 25 ps b. 200 ps c. 1 ns d. 10 ns
For a laser-diode bar with forward voltage 80 V at the operating current, which PCX-7500 variant is appropriate? a. PCX-7500-5 b. PCX-7500-25 c. PCX-7500-110 d. PCX-7500-EX with external supply
The Model 507 differs from the Model 508 in: a. Output power rating. b. Maximum current (25 A versus 6 A) and intended applications (older versus modern ignition devices). c. Trigger source interface. d. Pulse width range.
The PVX-4000-2kV-EX requires: a. An internal high-voltage supply. b. External positive and negative high-voltage supplies whose differential does not exceed 2000 V. c. A connection to mains AC. d. A specific BNC trigger input.
The PCO-7125 is best characterized as: a. A bench instrument. b. An OEM module designed for integration into LiDAR and range-finding systems. c. A laboratory laser pump driver. d. A high-voltage Pockels cell driver.
The same seven questions, graded instantly with your score saved on this device.
Answer key at end of book.
BNC product catalog, available at berkeleynucleonics.com. Current data sheets for every product in this chapter.
DEI legacy application notes, archived at the BNC site. Particularly useful for the PCO and PCX series, with detailed application examples from the original Directed Energy publications.
Manuals for the PVX and PCX series, available with the products. Each manual includes the safe-operating-area graphs essential to correct operation.
BNC-DEI Academy online course materials, at academy.berkeleynucleonics.com. Free tutorial content covering the same products in video form.
For new and updated products, check the BNC web site directly. The product line evolves and the catalog above represents the lineup as of this writing.
End of Chapter 9.
Chapter 10 (Applications) follows.