Marx generator
![Marx generator diagrams; Although the left capacitor has the greatest charge rate, the generator is typically allowed to charge for a long period of time, and all capacitors eventually reach the same charge voltage.](/Images/godic/202501/26/Marx_Generator.svg4554.png")
![Marx generator used for testing high-voltage power-transmission components at TU Dresden, GermanyMarx generator (standing rectangular structure, left) in high-voltage lab at Jabalpur Engineering College, Jabalpur, India600 kV 10-stage Marx generator in operation](/Images/godic/202501/26/High-Voltage_Impulse_Test_System4554.jpg")
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A Marx generator is an electrical circuit first described by Erwin Otto Marx in 1924. Its purpose is to generate a high-voltage pulse from a low-voltage DC supply. Marx generators are used in high-energy physics experiments, as well as to simulate the effects of lightning on power-line gear and aviation equipment. A bank of 36 Marx generators is used by Sandia National Laboratories to generate X-rays in their Z Machine.