Initial results of parallel-plate plasma opening switch experiments on HAWK

Book · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:163112

Riley, R A; Weber, B V; Commisso, R J ^[1]; Goodrich, P J; Hinshelwood, D D ^[2]

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1. Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (United States). Plasma Physics Div.
2. JAYCOR, Inc., Vienna, VA (United States)

Results of parallel-plate plasma opening switch (POS) experiments on HAWK are presented. The Hawk generator produces a sinusoidal output current of amplitude {approximately}750 kA and quarter period {approximately} 1.2 {micro}s. The POS used is a tri-plate with a single cathode and two anode plates, each 15 cm wide. The plasma is injected from plasma guns through slots in the anodes. This POS performs almost as well as a comparable coaxial POS for short-circuit load shots with conduction times less than 700 ns. The parallel plate geometry provides much better diagnostic access than the standard coaxial POS. Framing camera images of the plasma imply that the current snow plows until it reaches the end of the injected plasma and opens near the cathode. A two-color laser interferometer is used to measure the electron and neutral densities of the plasma in the switch and in the magnetically insulated transmission line (MITL) between the switch and load integrated along chords in the {theta}-like direction. The electron density measured in the injected plasma region rises sharply during conduction and falls rapidly near the time of opening consistent with a snowplow traveling through the injection region. About 1 {micro}s after the switch opens, the density drops to near zero. A multi-chord He-Ne interferometer is used to measure the electron density integrated along several chords in the {theta}-like direction with different r-like positions. The density measurements are compared to framing camera images and models of POS operation.

• OSTI ID: 163112
• Report Number(s): CONF-950612--; ISBN 0-7803-2669-5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
ELECTRON DENSITY
EXPERIMENTAL DATA
OPERATION
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA SWITCHES
PULSE GENERATORS