Interferometer diagnostics of plasma current open switch injector

Results of interferometer studies of gas-plasma injector, allowing to provide plasma channel in plasma current open switch with plasma concentration 10/sup 16/-10/sup 17/ cm/sup -3/ and plasma column diameter of 408 cm, are presented. Two design variants of injectors are studied. Effect of plasma current opens switch cathode simulator on plasma concentration dynamics change in the discharge gap is investigated. It is shown that studied injector allows to increase the current transferred through the plasma channel of single injector up to 400 kA. Studies of plasma current channel and current accumulation in inductive storage dependence on plasma current opens switch geometry are performed.