A self-consistent theory of plasma filled diodes and plasma opening switches

The theory which is based upon the electron flow in a plasma filled diode can describe the magnetic field penetration into an interelectrode plasma bridge, but the final voltage across the diode gap, V ≤ 300 B²/8πne, derived from this theory is lower by more than one order of magnitude compared to the experimental value. The voltage can increase as a result of the decrease of the´ plasma density due to ion acceleration towards the cathode by the Hall electric field eE= 1/n ΔB²/8π in the skin layer. Two-dimensional quasi-steady-state flow of electrons and ions of a quasi-neutral plasma is considered. In the theory presented here expressions for erosion / velocity and the voltage drop are derived.