A two-stage exploding-foil/plasma erosion opening switch conditioning system

Abstract

When a load requiring a very fast rising current is fed from a flux-compression generator, it is necessary to introduce a conditioning circuit in order to reduce the rise time of the generator output current substantially. The final stage of this circuit will include a plasma erosion opening switch, which is the fastest known opening switch for use at the current levels involved. This paper presents results obtained during the development of a novel two-stage conditioning circuit and compares the experimental performance of the circuit with results provided by a computer simulation. A time compression of the rise time of the currents from microseconds to less than 100 ns was obtained, representing a 40-fold increase in the corresponding signals.

Simulation of Parameters of Plasma Dynamics of a Magneto Plasma Compressor

“…The pulse plasma accelerator of the erosion type (magneto plasma compressor (MPC) [1][2][3]) in a vacuum, operating in self-focusing mode, is an effective device for generating flows of emitting plasma with a density of up to 10 24 ÷ 10 26 m −3 and a temperature of up to 100 kK and higher. On this basis, technical devices can be created that allow efficient conversion of the electric energy of the storage unit into thermal radiation of the ultraviolet (UV) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) range [4][5][6].…”

High electric fields sustained in fast EBW experiments

“…The present interest of the authors arose primarily during research into a table top size repetitive x-ray source, using a scaled-down version of a POS conditioning circuit [4]. It is apparent that one of the most important parameters of any opening switch is the maximum internal voltage or electric field that can be both generated and sustained, and it is generally believed [5] that the highest reported electric field arising during EBW work is 20 kV cm −1 [4].…”

“…The present interest of the authors arose primarily during research into a table top size repetitive x-ray source, using a scaled-down version of a POS conditioning circuit [4]. It is apparent that one of the most important parameters of any opening switch is the maximum internal voltage or electric field that can be both generated and sustained, and it is generally believed [5] that the highest reported electric field arising during EBW work is 20 kV cm −1 [4]. However, in a series of recent experiments, in which a low inductance 60 nF capacitor charged to 30 kV was discharged with a rise time of 80 ns through a 50 mm copper wire positioned between round electrodes, it was found possible to generate repeatably electric fields up to about 40 kV cm −1 , for wire lengths of up to 1 cm (see figure 1).…”