Experiments with plasma opening switch on SNOP-3 generator

Summary form only given. Experiments with a POS (plasma opening switch) operating in the nanosecond regime applied to a 0.5-TW accelerator have been conducted with different loads (electron or ion diodes, inductive load). The accelerator parameters in negative pulse polarity were 0.7 MV, O.7-Ω impedance, and 60-ns pulse duration. The POS with a 90% transparent squirrel cage and 160-mm-diameter anode used a flashboard plasma source installed at a diameter of 320 mm, having four sections with three rows each of spark gaps. The plasma ion flow density provided 150 A/cm² with 10-15-cm/μs velocity. With an inductive load of 15 nH the voltage enhancement reached a factor of 2, the POS impedance being 15 Ω. With the electron diode the voltage amplitude equaled 1.5 MV, with a switched current of up to 600 kA and a load pulse duration (measured by the p-i-n diode) of 20-30 ns. Ion beam generation was realized in the pinch-reflex diode with a passive plasma source on the anode.