Investigation of high-current plasma opening switch at low gas pressure

Abstract

The high-current plasma opening switch (POS), combined with the inductive energy storage, can be applied in the power electron accelerator of nano- and microsecond operation. The POS discharge characteristics should be stabilized and controlled. In the present work the POCS behaviour in dependence on gas pressure, kind of gas, time input of plasma density, its spatial distribution, extent of plasma ionization, its averaged charge has been investigated to attain the commuted current enhancement.