A Magic Simulation of a Mosfet Analogy in High Power Closing Switch: Insulated Electrostatic Plasma Injection Switch (IEPIS)

Previously we reported a novel gas discharge closing switch termed electrostatic plasma injection switch (EPIS) with which uses transmission line reflections of incoming trigger pulse to generate voltage gradients on a vertical multi-sections trigger structure that extends from a hollow cathode into a symmetrical hollow anode. Low current pre-ionization glow discharge exterior to the hollow cathode provides seed electrons for fast turn-on. The trigger structure attracts plasma into the hollow cathode, and then accelerates plasma vertically upward into the gap between anode and cathode. A pseudospark like super-dense glow discharge plasma initiates the high current. This prototype EPIS has one disadvantage: there are two modes of operation, normal and abnormal modes. Now we propose a further improvement termed insulated EPIS (IEPIS), which has an insulated trigger structure that can ensure EPIS operates in the normal mode, which means breakdown occurs only between anode and cathode, and not between anode and pre-ionization area or anode and the trigger. This operational principle of IEPIS is very similar to MOSFET in electronics. IEPIS is expected to have higher repetition rates with enhanced reliability, and consume less power to trigger. We present a MAGIC simulation of its space charge evolution, electron density distributions evolution, and electron velocity distribution in various stages of IEPIS.