A Plasma Source for a Microsecond Plasma Opening Switch

A. M. Gafarov, V. I. Vorozhtsov, A. A. Safronov,
V. P. Kovalev, S. I. Grabovenskii, and N. M. Vagina

All-Russia Research Institute of Technical Physics,
Russian Federal Nuclear Center, Snezhinsk, Chelyabinsk oblast, 456770 Russia

Received June 27, 2000

Abstract—The results of the studies of surface plasma sources with an -7 optical photochronograph and
a double electric probe are presented. The designs of radial and axial plasma generators are described. It is
shown that a radial SPS does not ensure satisfactory reproducibility of the plasma flow parameters from pulse
to pulse, which influences the operation stability of plasma opening switches. Based on data obtained experi-
mentally, a modernized axial plasma generator was constructed. Studies of plasma flows with a double electric
probe have shown that, at equal energy contributions to the plasma generator, the probe’s current density
increases by a factor of four. The use of an axial surface plasma source on the SIGNAL (high-current pulse gen-
erator for laser pumping) installation with a plasma opening switch resulted in the front sharpening of the load
current pulse (~200–220 kA) from 60 ns obtained in earlier experiments to 30 ns for the same current amplitude.

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