Development of a low impedance pulse generator for the anode plasma generation in B/sub APPL/ diodes used on the KALIF-accelerator

The performance of the magnetically insulated ion diode used on the KALIF accelerator depends sensitively on the properties of the anode plasma. This anode plasma should consist of a thin layer of protons only, covering homogeneously and with a sufficiently high areal density the anode surface of 132 cm/sup 2/. An electrical pulsed generator for the creation of the anode plasma in this diode was designed and tested, which shall replace the present arrangement consisting of a bypass line and the plasma opening switches. This new plasma generator is based on a 0.2 /spl Omega/ impedance Blumlein-generator discharged either through a photoconductive GaAs switch or a dielectric foil switch. The energy supplied by this generator is coupled via 6 parallel striplines to the hydrogen loaded TiPd layer covering the anode surface. The plasma generator can deliver about 20 J in a 20 ns long pulse with about 5 ns rise time to a matched load which is considered to be just sufficient for the production of a suitable anode plasma.