Plasma source variations in plasma opening switch experiments

Summary form only given. Three plasma sources have been investigated for use in plasma opening switch (POS) experiments: flashboards, gas guns, and cable guns. These sources have been fielded on Hawk, a testbed for inductive store pulsed power switching. The purpose of the experiments is to determine the effects of changing the plasma species, flow velocity, and spatial distribution on POS performance (conduction current and time, voltage limitations, etc.) The plasma sources are characterized in a test chamber and diagnosed during POS shots using laser interferometry.