STUDY OF THE CURRENT SHEATH DYNAMICS

IN A LOW ENERGY MATHER TYPE PLASMA

FOCUS DEVICE

T. Davari Mahabadi1, M. Ghoranneviss2, R. A. Behbahani3

1Department of Physics and Biophysics, Islamic Azad University, Tehran

Medical Branch, Iran.
2 Plasma physics Research center, Islamic Azad University, Science &

Research Branch, Tehran, Iran.

3Department of physics, University of Tehran. N. Kargar Ave, Tehran

14399, Iran.
EXPERIMENTAL SETUP
Low energy Mather type PF: up to 4.9 kJ
Capacitor bank: 11 F
Maximum Charging voltages: 30 kV
Equivalent inductance: 150 nH
Chamber: stainless steel
Insulator sleeve: Pyrex, 2.5 mm thick,12.5
mm radius and 3 cm in length.
High voltage probe: 2 (ns) response time to
register the transient high voltages.
Rogowski coil: measuring the current and
current derivative signals.
Rotary pump: evacuates up to 10-3 mbar
Transmission Line and control board
Oscilloscope: four-channel 500 (Ms/s)
 EXPERIMENTAL SETUP

Two anode shapes: Radial and axial Magnetic probes:

1- Cylindrical copper rod ,150mm in
length , 20 mm diameter .
2- Step anode with the same length
and material ,10 mm diameter,
slimmed down exactly 40 mm under
its tip.
Cathode:
Twelve copper rods ,145mm in
length , 9 mm diameter each of them,
30 mm radius.
four turns, 2mm diameter coil
connected to a 50  micro coaxial
cable covered with a 4 mm diameter
brass sleeve. The whole structure
inside a 6 mm diameter closed-end
Pyrex tube.
 EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONS

 Applying Cylindrical and Step anodes.

 Charging voltages of 16.0 and 19.0 kV.
 Typical peak discharge currents of 130 and 160 kA.
 Filling gas: Argon
 Selected pressures:0.5,1and 2mbars.
 Seven radial and axial locations for probes’ tips.
 Three shots were recorded for each location.

•
 TYPICAL SIGNALS

Typical high voltage probe signal

showing the pinch effect

Typical signals of axial probe

and current discharge

Typical signals of radial and

axial probes and Rogowski coil
 EXPERIMENTAL SIGNALS OF RADIAL
MAGNETIC PROBE

Magnetic probe signals taken at three different Magnetic probe signals taken at three
radial positions for 16 kV and operating different radial positions for 19kV and
pressures: (a) p = 1mbar, (b) p = 2mbar operating pressures: (c) p = 1mbar, (d) p =
2mbar
 EXPERIMENTAL SIGNALS OF AXIAL
MAGNETIC PROBE

Magnetic probe signals taken at three different axial positions for 19

kV and operating pressures: (a, b) p = 1mbar, (c, d) p = 2 mbar
 TABLES OF RESULTS FOR RADIAL
MAGNETIC PROBE

The values of p, off,  and average The values of p, off,  and average
sheath velocity (Vrav) during the sheath velocity (Vrav) during the
break down phase at 16 (kV) break down phase at 19 (kV)

P τoff Vrav Δ
P τoff Vrav Δ
(mbar) (ns) (cm/μs) (cm)
(mbar) ( ns) (cm/μs) (cm)

0.5 288 2.04 0.49

0.5 274 2.2 0.6

1 368 1.8 0.7

1 315 1.95 0.8

2 431 1.56 0.96

2 405 1.85 1.1
TABLE OF RESULTS FOR AXIAL MAGNETIC
PROBE
Vzp(cm/μs)
Vzp(cm/μs)
Vz(cm/μs) Before pinch
Vz(cm/μs) Before pinch
P(mbar) Z (cm) Cylindrical Cylindrical
Step anode Step anode
anode anode The average axial velocity (Vz)
8 5.9 5.8 at different axial positions as a
0.5 9 6 6.1 15.8 12.4
10 6.7 6.3 function of pressure and anode
11 6.9 6.4
12 7 6.5 shape and peak axial velocity
13 7.2 6.7
14 7.4 6.9
(Vzp) as a function of pressure
8 4.4 4.3 and anode shape at 19 kV
1 9 4.5 4.6 13.3 10.7
10 4.8 4.7
11 5 4.9
12 5.2 5
13 5.3 5.1
14 5.6 5.3
8 3.4 3.5
2 9 3.5 3.6 No pinch No pinch
10 3.7 3.7
11 3.8 3.7
12 3.9 3.8
13 4.1 3.9
14 4.3 4
 CURVES OF RESULTS

The axial velocity (v) of the current sheath as a

The time of the peak maximum (trp) as a function of function of the axial position of the probe (z) for
the radial position of the probe (r) for different different operating pressures and two kinds of
operating pressures. anodes for 16 kV.

The experimental and calculated axial transit time

(ta) of the step anode as a function of pressure for
15.6 (kV) and 19 (kV)
 CONCLUSIONS

The effects of the argon gas pressure, charging voltage and anode
shape on the current sheath dynamics in a low energy (4.9 kJ)
Mather type PF were investigated.
The dynamics of the current sheath was monitored by using two
radial and axial magnetic probes.
The radial magnetic probe measurements showed an almost
constant current sheath velocity near the insulator in breakdown
phase.
The results of the velocity variations as a function of the sheath
position for cylindrical and step anodes showed higher acceleration
of the current sheath inside the step anode region compared with
the cylindrical one.
Comparison of the experimental and theoretical axial transit time
(ta) showed a good agreement between these data using cylindrical
anode but there was a significant difference between them especially
for the lower voltages and higher pressures using step anode.
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