Interferometric investigation of a cablegun plasma injector

Author

Smith, L. Montgomery ; Keefer, Dennis R. ; Wright, Newton W.

Author_Institution

Tennessee Univ. Space Inst., Tullahoma, TN, USA

Volume

28

Issue

6

fYear

2000

fDate

12/1/2000 12:00:00 AM

Firstpage

2272

Lastpage

2275

Abstract

A two-beam interferometer operating in heterodyne mode was used to determine the velocity and electron number density of a plasma ejected from a cablegun identical to those in the plasma opening switch (POS) of the DECEDE pulsed power facility. Time-resolved data were processed via digital phase demodulation techniques to measure electron number density at the two beam locations. Cross-correlation analysis of the two signals provided objective estimates of the effective plasma velocity. Experiments were carried out in unobstructed vacuum and near a flat ungrounded conducting plate to examine the plasma in vacuum and its buildup against the POS cathode

Keywords

demodulation; electromagnetic wave interferometry; plasma diagnostics; plasma guns; plasma switches; pulsed power switches; DECEDE pulsed power facility; Interferometric investigation; POS cathode; beam locations; cablegun plasma injector; cross-correlation analysis; data processing; digital phase demodulation techniques; effective plasma velocity; ejected plasma velocity; electron number density; flat ungrounded conducting plate; heterodyne mode; plasma ejection; plasma opening switch; time-resolved data; two-beam interferometer; unobstructed vacuum; Cathodes; Demodulation; Density measurement; Electron beams; Particle beam measurements; Phase measurement; Plasma density; Plasma measurements; Signal analysis; Switches;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/27.902256

Filename

902256