Pulse Power Systems Using Opening Switches

A description of pulse power systems using plasma erosion opening switches, microwire interrupters, e-beam-controlled gas gaps and vacuum triodes is given. First two types of opening switch were used in nanosecond pulse accelerators producing 1-6-MeV, 10
⁴
-10
⁶
-A e-beams and for other purposes, Two other types are being investigated. New results obtained on the GIT-4 and GIT-16 devices using plasma opening switches and on a new version of the VIRA x-ray machine using wire interrupters are reported. A plasma-cathode accelerator intended for controlling a gas-discharge opening switch used with a 100-kJ capacitor bank has been developed. Vacuum triodes operating at currents of up to 100 kA have been investigated for their application as opening switches. It has been demonstrated that the triode cut-off can occur in 2.10
^-8
s.