Cockroft-Walton voltage multiplier questions

[Scotsman7]

Hello,
First off, thank you to this forum for any help you may be able to send to me.
I understand that there are two types of Cockroft-Walton voltage multiplers, half-wave and full-wave. The half-wave design accepts a positive only input signal while the full-wave design seems to require the AC type of input signal. My questions are these:
1.) does the half-wave and full-wave multipliers reach maximum voltage output level in the same time period?;
2.) does the half-wave and full-wave multipliers the same maximum voltage output level?;
3.) does the full-wave have to have the AC type of input (with a negative potential portion) or can a positive only (pseudo sine wave) variable AC type input signal work?
It's important; as this is the last problem I have to make a decision on in teh design and build of a 30 plus year R&D project. I am contimplating adding a MAXIM-038 sine wave generator circuit to the design over the 555 timer design that I currently am using. It works but it doesn't reach the designed output level and it is very slow.;
Again, every bit of help will be appreciated.
Scott McKie -- scotsman7@comcast.net

 

[Dr_Doggy]

half wave is only half, of everything

i hear Cockroft 's are inefficient after several stages, and have specific frequencies so if input is wrong frequency, circuit will dampen, best way to tune it is to adjust duty cycle and freq on the timer, and put transistor between timer and Cockroft.

current level going in affects charge time too.

pulses are acceptable.