Microsecond Plasma Opening Switches

This review presents the results of experiments with plasma opening switches (POS's) in which energy delivery to the storage inductor occurs on a microsecond time scale. Under these conditions, the POS insures an impedance rate of rise of ~109 Ω/s to final values of ~10-20 Ω. These parameters allow the POS to be considered as a basis for the creation of unique ~ 1013-W pulsed power generators as well as compact ~1010-W commercial generators.