Experimental determination of gap scaling in a plasma opening switch

Experiments were performed to investigate the coupling between a ∼0.5 μs conduction-time, ∼0.5 MA conduction-current plasma opening switch (POS), and an electron-beam (e-beam) diode. Electrical diagnostics provided measurements of the voltage at the oil-vacuum insulator and at the diode as well as anode and cathode currents on the generator and load sides of the POS. These measurements were combined with a flow impedance model to determine the POS gap over a range of conduction times and e-beam diode impedances, and for two POS-to-load distances. A comparison of the inferred POS gap at peak power with the critical gap for magnetic insulation indicates that the POS gap is always saturated in both switch-limited and load-limited regimes. This POS gap-size scaling with load impedance is consistent with an opening mechanism dominated by erosion and not $J×B$ forces.