Effect of high-voltage electrode geometry on energy deposition into exploding wire in vacuum

Based on electrical and optical diagnostics and electrostatic calculations, the relationship between distribution of radial electric field and energy deposition of electrically exploded wires in vacuum was investigated. Copper plates with different diameters were used to modify the distribution of radial electric field along wire surface in the experiments. The calculated radial electric field showed good consistency with the wire core outline in optical images, and there is a saturated positive correlation between maximum specific energy (E
_sm
) and averaged radial field strength over the wire length. It can be concluded that the direction and amplitude of radial electric field significantly affects E
_sm
and dominates the structure of energy deposition.