Control of Taper-Pinch Plasma by Geometrical Parameters of Capillary

Abstract

We propose a new type of plasma source with a tapered pinch discharge to form dense, high-speed plasmas. Parameters controlling the behavior are indicated by considering the pinching dynamics of current sheet based on a 1-D equation of motion. The basic behavior of the plasma has been characterized as a function of those parameters using a prototype device. Results indicate that the plasma flux and velocity formed by the capillary discharge can be controlled by the initial gas density, the discharge current, and the geometry of capillary.