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arXiv · 1004.2431

Combined flux compression and plasma opening switch on the Saturn pulsed power generator

Franklin S. Felber·Eduardo M. Waisman·Michael G. Mazarakis
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Abstract

A wire-array flux-compression cartridge installed on Sandia's Saturn pulsed power generator doubled the current into a 3-nH load to 6 MA and halved its rise time to 100 ns. The current into the load, however, was unexpectedly delayed by almost 1 microsecond. Estimates of a plasma flow switch acting as a long-conduction-time opening switch are consistent with key features of the power compression. The results suggest that microsecond-conduction-time plasma flow switches can be combined with flux compression both to amplify currents and to sharpen pulse rise times in pulsed power drivers.

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Franklin S. Felber, Eduardo M. Waisman, Michael G. Mazarakis. 2010-04-12. Combined flux compression and plasma opening switch on the Saturn pulsed power generator. https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.104.185001

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