for research towards the control of electrical discharges,[@SciAdv:2015:neatSparkGuidingAroundObjectsETAL] their interaction with laser filaments,[@APL:2016:prolongguideddischargeETAL] the generation of plasma antennas,[@APL:2012:filamentedRFantennaETAL] and the laser guiding of lightning.[@AIP:2012:ForestierETAL; @APL:2017:multi-pulseETAL]

Conventionally, Marx generators are used for these applications. Marx generators are pulsed-power supplies that normally generate short pulses of high-voltage direct current instead of radio-frequency current.[@naidu:1995] Compared to Tesla transformers, Marx generators are more straightforward to engineer and their output is more reproducible. Furthermore, Marx generators do not rely on resonant coupling like Tesla transformers, which is sensitive to changes in circuit parameters. This sensitivity is a potential limitation for Tesla transformers in these applications because dynamic changes to their load, such as the evolution of spark discharge, can disrupt this resonant coupling during operation. Marx generators, in contrast, are nearly immune to this sensitivity by design.

Ideally, the best aspects of these two power supplies could be combined in an improved supply. This Note demonstrates that Marx generators can be designed to imitate Tesla transformers, combining an output similar to that of a Tesla transformer with the circuit architecture of a Marx generator. Such modified Marx generators are shown to tolerate circuit-parameter changes more than Tesla transformers, making them attractive alternatives to Tesla transformers 