A HIGH-VOLTAGE TRIGGERED PSEUDOSPARK DISCHARGE EXPERIMENT

The design and execution of a pulsed high-voltage (350-400 keV) trigge red pseudospark discharge experiment is reported. Experimental studies were carried out to obtain an optimal design for stable and reliable pseudospark operation in a high-voltage regime (>350 kV). Experiments were performed to determine the most suitable fill gas for electron-be am formation. The pseudospark discharge is initiated by a trigger mech anism involving a flashover between the trigger electrode and hollow c athode housing. Experimental results characterizing the electron-beam energy using the range-energy method are reported. Source size imaging was carried out using an x-ray pinhole camera and a novel technique u sing Mylar as a witness plate. It was experimentally determined that s trong pinching occurred later in time and was associated with the lowe r-energy electrons. (C) 1996 American Institute of Physics.