Current Sheath Dynamics and its Evolution Studies in Sahand Filippov Type Plasma Focus

Abstract

One of the most important factors for optimizing the plasma focus device operation is the dynamics of the plasma. In this paper, we investigated the profile and dynamics of the current sheath by measuring the velocity and distribution of current sheath in Sahand as a Filippov type plasma focus device. For this purpose, the discharge is produced in pure neon gas with capacitor bank stored energies in the range of 14–50 kJ. The current sheath is monitored using two sets of magnetic probes, one with four and other with three equi-distant probe coils. These probes, installed in both radial and axial directions near the edge of the interior electrode (anode), are used for monitoring the distributions and dynamics of the current sheath. The maximum current sheath velocities at radial and axial phase are 4 ± 0.13 and 3.51 ± 0.22 (cm/μs) respectively for 0.25 Torr. The decreasing of CS velocities in going move away from anode surface is one of the our results in this paper. In this paper we conclude that the current sheath velocity at radial phase in Sahand is greater than axial phase. The effect of the neon working gas pressure and working voltage on the current sheath dynamics and its spatial evolution is investigated and presented.