  Solid-state modulators for pulsed power applications have been a goal since
the first fast high-power semiconductor devices became available. Recent
improvements in both the speed and peak power capabilities of semiconductor
devices developed for the power conditioning and traction industries have led
to a new generation of solid-state switched high power modulators with
performance rivaling that of hard tube modulators and thyratron switched
line-type modulators. These new solid-state devices offer the promise of higher
efficiency and longer lifetimes at a time when availability of standard
technologies is becoming questionable. A brief discussion of circuit topologies
and solid-state devices is followed by examples of modulators currently in use
or in test. This presentation is intended to give an overview of the current
capabilities of solid-state modulators in various applications.

Accelerator Physics