Plasma diagnostics for high power ignitron development

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1991 · IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

OSTI ID:5751865

Loree, D L; Giesselmann, M; Kristiansen, M ^[1]; Shulski, A ^[2]

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1. Texas Tech Univ., Lubbock, TX (United States)
2. Richardson Electronics, LaFox, IL (US)

The development of high power ignitrons with peak current ratings of up to 1000 kA and simultaneous charge transfer rates of 250-500 C is currently under way in a joint effort between Texas Tech University (TTU), Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and industry. Research at TTU is concentrated on plasma diagnostics, novel anode designs, electrode placements and trigger schemes. Electrical measurements as well as optical plasma studies such a high speed framing photography, Mach-Zehnder interferometry and spectroscopy have been performed. The cooperative efforts have lead to the development of a new commercial tube (Richardson Electronics NL-9000). This paper describes plasma diagnostics performed on a demountable ignitron (DIG) which provides optical access to the discharge plasma through four viewports, two of which are on opposite sides on a common optical axis. The latter pair of viewports was used to perform plasma density studies using a Mach-Zehnder interferometer.

• OSTI ID: 5751865
• Report Number(s): CONF-9004136--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) Journal Volume: 27:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426000* -- Engineering-- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits-- (1990-)
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700320 -- Plasma Diagnostic Techniques & Instrumentation-- (1992-)
DESIGN
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON TUBES
GAS DISCHARGE TUBES
HEATING
HIGH-FREQUENCY DISCHARGES
IGNITRONS
INTERFEROMETERS
INTERFEROMETRY
MACH-ZEHNDER INTERFEROMETER
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
PHOTOGRAPHY
PLASMA DIAGNOSTICS
PLASMA HEATING
RECTIFIER TUBES