Circuit simulations of the use of explosive formed fuses to obtain high voltage pulses for high impedance loads

Summary form only given. Explosive Formed Fuses (EFFs) use conducting elements that are deformed by explosive pressure (typically, against dielectric dies). This causes the fuse geometry to change, so that the conducting element cross section decreases. This enables a higher ratio of current conduction to current interrupt time than for normal fuses, and it enables more control of when current interruption occurs. In combination with a suitable output closing switch, EFFs can be used to obtain several hundred kilovolt voltage pulses from inductive stores to drive several ohm loads. With proper choices of inductive store, EFF geometry and material, and output closing switch features, such a voltage pulse can be approximately flat topped for microsecond duration, and have a small fraction of microsecond risetime. We present theoretical analysis and circuit simulations which illustrate this, using scaled empirical EFF parameters, for inductive stores in the 1 Weber flux, several hundred nanohenry range. The circuit simulations were done using Microcap-4, with user defined elements. These simulations were done with static inductive stores, and with explosive magnetic flux compression generators driving inductive stores.