The characteristics of a microsecond plasma opening switch have been improved by the modification of the plasma source. Conventional cable plasma guns have been used in the experiments, producing different directions of the plasma flow by changing the guns’ nozzles. The nozzles were arranged to provide the plasma flow, which is not exactly radial, but has an angle to the gun axis. The experiments with the modified plasma guns were carried out with the upstream, downstream, and azimuthally slanted plasma flow directions. The results are compared to a conventional radial flow plasma source. The plasma flow slanted in an angle of 30° downstream resulted in 50% improvement of the load current rise time and switch impedance. The obtained dependencies are explained in the frame of the snowplow model. Radial component of the plasma velocity at the end of the conduction phase is higher for downstream plasma flow. This results in a faster opening of the switch and is in good agreement with experimental data.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
August 1999
Research Article|
August 01 1999
Improved operation of microsecond plasma opening switch by plasma source modification
Igor V. Lisitsyn;
Igor V. Lisitsyn
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Susumu Kohno;
Susumu Kohno
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Yusuke Teramoto;
Yusuke Teramoto
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Sunao Katsuki;
Sunao Katsuki
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Hidenori Akiyama
Hidenori Akiyama
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Kumamoto University, 2-39-1 Kurokami, Kumamoto 860, Japan
Search for other works by this author on:
Phys. Plasmas 6, 3416–3421 (1999)
Article history
Received:
February 08 1999
Accepted:
April 29 1999
Citation
Igor V. Lisitsyn, Susumu Kohno, Yusuke Teramoto, Sunao Katsuki, Hidenori Akiyama; Improved operation of microsecond plasma opening switch by plasma source modification. Phys. Plasmas 1 August 1999; 6 (8): 3416–3421. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.873582
Download citation file:
Pay-Per-View Access
$40.00
Sign In
You could not be signed in. Please check your credentials and make sure you have an active account and try again.
Citing articles via
Progress toward fusion energy breakeven and gain as measured against the Lawson criterion
Samuel E. Wurzel, Scott C. Hsu
Announcement: Physics of Plasmas Early Career Collection 2024
Michael E. Mauel
A prospectus on laser-driven inertial fusion as an energy source
Debra A. Callahan
Related Content
Limits on the efficiency of several electric thruster configurations
Phys. Plasmas (May 2003)
Investigation of the ion dynamics in a multispecies plasma under pulsed magnetic fields
Phys. Plasmas (September 2004)
Charging effects on temporal and spatial evolution of the dusty plasma sheath in plasma source ion implantation
Phys. Plasmas (April 2001)
Development of plasma cathode electron guns
Phys. Plasmas (May 1999)
Breakdown behavior in radio-frequency argon discharges
Phys. Plasmas (March 2003)