Plasma filled diode operation with plasma created in situ by a low pressure hollow gas discharge

Plasma filled diode experiments have been performed at .1 to .5 TW by producing a hollow, Penning like, discharge in low pressure gas inside the A-K gap of an electron beam diode. A low impedance phase was observed whose duration could be controlled by the gas pressure and the initial plasma current. At the end of this low impedance phase, the diode voltage and impedance rise abruptly with observed switching times less than 10 ns.