Interferometric measurement of the electron density in a pseudospark switch
- Univ. of Erlangen-Nuernberg (Germany). Dept. of Physics
In the recent years pseudospark switches have been developed for several applications. The pseudospark is a low pressure gas discharge usable as a closing switch. For medium power sealed-off devices are available for tests. In the high current regime only devices connected to a vacuum system are in use. The pseudospark transforms from a special hollow cathode discharge to a metal vapor arc like discharge type when the current exceeds 35 kA. Fast shutter photographs of the discharge prove the appearance of filaments at currents exceeding 40 kA corresponding to a dip in the forward voltage drop and a rise of the erosion rate of about one order of magnitude (4 to 40 {micro}g/C) for molybdenum electrodes. The knowledge of the electron density distribution provides more information about these phenomena. The discharge is no more radial symmetric to the central apertures at these high currents. A contraction to a small area on the plane electrode surface takes place. Therefore a tomographic setup is necessary to measure the electron density distribution with interferometry. The interferograms are digitized and the electron density distribution is evaluated by a computer program. As a result the 3-dimensional electron density distribution of the total discharge volume for the time interval given by the exposure time of the laser beams is calculated.
- OSTI ID:
- 182764
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-950612--; ISBN 0-7803-2669-5
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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