The Application of a Plasma Erosion Opening Switch to a Nanosecond Generator at the Power Level of 1010 W

This paper is devoted to experimental studies of a short-pulse (80 ns) inductive system with a coaxial plasma erosion opening switch (PEOS), operating at the 2-5 × 1010 W level. Scalings of the PEOS and ion diode characteristics with different parameters (PEOS plasma density and velocity, PEOS electrode geometry, load impedance, type and strength of an external magnetic field) were carried out. It was seen that for the most efficient energy and power switching to the load by the PEOS, the following conditions are preferable: high velocity and low density of the plasma flow, negative polarity of the inner PEOS electrode, coincidence of the switch current and injected plasma flow directions, the absence of an external magnetic field, and the presence of an additional self-field in the PEOS region. Power enhancement of a factor of 3 and pulse shortening by a factor of 2 were obtained under optimal conditions.