PLASMA CURRENT CHOPPER Russian patent published in 2002 - IPC

FIELD: high-voltage pulse engineering. SUBSTANCE: plasma current chopper designed for use in high-power pulsed power supplies for heavy-current charged particle accelerators, plasma diodes, radiating pinch systems, and the like has potential electrodes that form interelectrode vacuum gap, are coupled with power supply and connected to load; at least one plasma injector; additional electrode located beyond interelectrode gap and isolated from closest electrode. Current chopper is provided with additional power supply connected to additional electrode and closest potential electrode; additional electrode is installed above its mesh section fitted between plasma electrode and load. Current chopper operating moment can be set rather accurately thereby enabling change-over as soon as current reaches its maximum or during any other preset moment. EFFECT: reduced change-over time which increases voltage multiplication factor in load relative to supply voltage. 3 dwg