High-power microwave (HPM) system is essential for applications such as advanced radar, directed energy system, and pulsed accelerator, where compactness and high repetition rate operation are increasingly required. Solid-state pulsed power drivers have become a key enabling technology due to their superior reliability, lifetime, and repetition rate compared with conventional gas-switch-based pulsed power systems. However, their performance is fundamentally limited by the operating characteristics of semiconductor switches under high-voltage, high-current, and high-repetition-rate conditions. This review examines three mainstream solid-state modular stacking topologies—solid-state Marx generator, linear transformer driver (LTD), and stacked Blumlein pulse forming line—from a switch-centered perspective. By analyzing the constraints associated with switch operation, energy loss and thermal management, as well as driving and control strategies, this work provides insights into the development trends of high-repetition-rate solid-state pulsed power drivers and offers guidance for future topology selection and technological optimization.

In recent years, significant progress has been achieved in solid-state pulsed power driver technology driven by the rapid development of high-performance semiconductor switches. At the device level, the transition from silicon-based IGBT and MOSFET to wide-bandgap devices, such as SiC MOSFET, has enabled higher voltage rating, faster switching speed, and improved repetition rate capability. These advances have laid the foundation for high-repetition-rate operation under high-voltage and high-current conditions. At the topology level, solid-state Marx generator has been extensively studied with improved synchronization, voltage balancing, and modular scalability. Linear transformer driver (LTD) has demonstrated low-inductance and high-current characteristics through magnetic isolation and 1:1 transformer stacking, making them attractive for high-repetition-rate pulsed power applications. In parallel, stacked Blumlein pulse forming line has been developed to achieve compact structure and nanosecond-scale pulse generation with fast rise time. At the system level, modular stacking and integration techniques have enabled higher output power, improved reliability, and stable repetitive operation, further promoting the practical application of solid-state pulsed power drivers in high-power microwave systems.

From the device level to the system level, the performance of switches remains the key factor limiting further improvement of solid-state pulsed power drivers. Under high-repetition-rate operating conditions, switches are required to withstand simultaneously high voltage slew rates (dv/dt) and current slew rates (di/dt). Their dynamic turn-on and turn-off behaviors directly affect the pulse rise time, energy transfer efficiency, and overall operational reliability of the system. Meanwhile, the significant increase in energy loss and thermal management challenges accompanying higher operating frequencies has become a major bottleneck restricting long-term stable operation. In addition, the growing complexity of gate driving and synchronization control imposes higher requirements on system-level coordinated design. Looking forward, the development trends of solid-state pulsed power drivers can be summarized in three aspects. First, the application of high-performance power devices based on wide-bandgap and emerging semiconductor materials will continue to extend the voltage, current, and frequency limits of switches. Second, modularization, integration, and compact design will be further promoted to enhance system power density and engineering scalability. Third, intelligent control and system-level co-optimization methods will be introduced to enable coordinated operation of multiple modules and improve long-term reliability. In summary, solid-state pulsed power drivers are evolving from a development stage dominated by device performance improvement toward a new stage centered on comprehensive system-level optimization. Future technological breakthroughs will no longer be confined to performance enhancement of individual switching devices or single circuit topologies, but will rely on multi-level coordinated design and optimization across materials, devices, circuits, and control, thereby driving the continued advancement of high-power-density, high-repetition-rate, and long-lifetime solid-state pulsed power systems.