I. A. Khodeev

Electric strength of a vacuum gap during breakdown in an inhomogeneous electric field for switching high-power pulses

A system for matching the output of a multimodular plasma opening switch (POS) to a “liner”-type load having a small initial impedance is described. The main element of this system is an isolating spark gap that allows synchronization of the POS modules and prevents a repeated POS closure cutting off the inductive storage from the load. A spark gap based on a multigap explosive-emission diode, which was proposed and tested earlier, is insufficiently strong electrically to be used in the Baikal project aimed at the development of a superpowerful pulsed generator. An urgent problem of increasing the electrical strength of a 1-mm-wide vacuum gap, which is a basic element of the aforementioned spark gap, is being solved. It is proposed to use electrodes of the point (anode)-plane (cathode) type that allow the electric field to be concentrated at the point-type anode, thereby increasing the gap’s electrical strength. The results of experiments aimed at the study of vacuum breakdown in this system of electrodes are presented. It is shown that this design allows the gap’s strength to be raised by several times, a long service life of electrodes to be ensured thanks to the low energy-deposition density, and a multichannel (i.e., low-inductance) breakdown to be stably attained. A diagram of the spark-gap prototype is presented, its breakdown characteristics are obtained, and a full-scale scheme of the spark gap is presented.

A pulsed generator of X-ray bremsstrahlung with a high peak exposure rate

A new pulsed generator of X-ray bremsstrahlung based on an inductive energy storage and a plasma opening switch is described. The radiation parameters are as follows: the peak exposure rate is as high as 5 × 109 R/s, and the dose is as high as 800 R.

Dynamics of the plasma injected into the gap of a plasma opening switch across a strong magnetic field

A method is proposed to increase the linear charge density transferred through a plasma opening switch (POS) and, accordingly, reduce the POS diameter by enhancing the external magnetic field in the POS gap. Results are presented from experimental studies of the dynamics of the plasma injected into the POS gap across a strong magnetic field. The possibility of closing the POS gap by the plasma injected across an external magnetic field of up to 60 kG is demonstrated.

Dynamics of plasma filling the gap of a module of the plasma opening switch of the MOL facility

The Baikal program aimed at the creation of a superhigh-power generator for experiments in the field of inertial thermonuclear fusion includes the development of a MOL facility for modeling the main principles of the generator structure. It is suggested to use a six-module plasma opening switch (POS) in an external magnetic field as the output power sharpener. The scheme of upgraded plasma guns of the module of the MOL facility’s POS and the results of studying the dynamics of filling the POS gap with plasma transversely to an external magnetic field are presented. It is shown that, in the presence of a long (∼40 μs) prepulse in this module, a POS cathode-anode closure with plasma along the force lines of the external magnetic field occurs within a time interval between the first turning-on of the plasma guns and the POS operation, which is hazardous for its operation. To eliminate this threat, it is proposed to increase the POS length to ∼70 cm. On the basis of the results obtained, a simpler and more reliable solution of the prepulse problem is proposed.

Matching of a multimodule plasma opening switch to a liner load

One of the key problems of the Baikal project, intended to create a superpower pulsed generator for ICF experiments, is that of matching a multimodule plasma opening switch (POS) to a liner load. An intermediate inductance or a separating discharger is proposed to be used as a matching element between the POS and the load. An analysis is made of the effect of both versions of the matching system on the synchronization of the POS modules and the energy transfer from the inductive storage to the load. Methods for optimizing the matching element are examined. It is shown that the POS modules can be synchronized and the inductive storage energy can be efficiently transferred to a low-impedance load. A multigap vacuum discharger with a point anode and plane cathode is to be used as a separating discharger. Such an electrode system make it possible to concentrate the electric field at the point anode and to substantially enhance the electric strength of the inter-electrode gap. Results are presented from experimental studies of vacuum breakdown in such an electrode system with a gap length of about 1 mm.

Synchronization of parallel-connected plasma opening switches and switching the current to the load

The possibility of using plasma opening switches (POSs) to create superpower generators is considered. To decrease the linear density of the charge passed through a POS of reasonable size, it is proposed to use a compact multimodule POS system. The design of an individual POS module is presented. The compact arrangement of the modules is ensured by an external magnetic field. It is proposed to use a sharpening spark gap to increase the efficiency of a multimodule POS operating with a low-inductance load. The results are presented of experiments on synchronizing two POS modules and switching the current to a low-inductance load.

Plasma opening switch synchronization facility

The Baikal program provides a superpower generator creation which uses a plasma opening switch for output pulse production. The MOL facility is being developed within the frames of this program to test main units and systems of the planned generator at 4–6 MV, 3 MA and 100 ns. The MOL facility is planned to use 7 parallel plasma opening switch modules placed in the relatively compact vacuum chamber of 140 cm diameter. This aims at solving two main technical issued: plasma opening switch module development with external applied magnetic field and plasma switch modules synchronization. The paper describes plasma switch module design and low inductance load synchronization experimental tests results.

Raising the efficiency of a plasma opening switch by applying an external magnetic field

The influence of an external magnetic field on the performance of a high-impedance plasma opening switch is studied experimentally. A 1.5-fold increase in the output voltage of a plasma opening switch operating in the erosion mode is achieved by applying an external magnetic field. The magnetic field strength and the parameters of the plasma opening switch at which the maximum output voltage is attained are determined. It is shown experimentally that the predicted dependence of the maximum output voltage on the Marx generator voltage, UPOS [MV]=3.6 (UMG [MV])4/7, is confirmed experimentally.

Filling the gap of a plasma opening switch with plasma from an electroexploding wire in an external magnetic field

The dynamics of filling the interelectrode gap of a plasma opening switch (POS) using an electroexploding wire with a diameter of 4 μm (tungsten) and 6 μm (carbon) is considered. The wire was connected to coaxial electrodes of the POS perpendicular to the force lines of a longitudinal magnetic field, which was created by an external source. When a current was transmitted through the wire, the longitudinal speed of produced plasma was ≈106 cm/s, and the azimuthal speed was ≈107 cm/s (for tungsten) and ≥1.3 × 107 cm/s (for carbon). As a result, a plasma “washer” was formed and the total quantity of particles in it was determined by the parameters of the wire and the POS gap. This result is the first step in a solution of “the first shot” problem.

Plasma opening switch for the MOL generator

Problems related to creating a superpower pulsed current generator (Baikal project, ≈10 MV, ≈50 MA, ≈150 ns) for inertial confinement fusion are considered. In order to test the circuit design of the generator, the MOL unit (3.7 MA, 5 MV, 150 ns), in which a plasma opening switch (POS) is proposed for use as an output power sharpener, is now under construction. Results are presented from experimental testing of a number of proposals enabling the POS operation under the MOL conditions: (i) plasma guns were employed to connect the POS to the inductive storage circuit, (ii) a separating discharger was used to avoid a POS reclosure and to switch the current to a load whose impedance was initially low and increased with time, and (iii) a programmable filling of the POS gap with plasma was implemented in order for the POS to pass a long current prepulse with parameters close to those in actual systems.