A compact strip-line pulsed power generator for isentropic compression experiments

Point projection radiography of electromagnetically accelerated flyer plates with an external X-pinch driver

A platform for flyer plate benchmarking experiments has been developed, with an external X-pinch driver for point projection radiography. The experiments were performed using CEPAGE, a low inductance pulsed power machine at First Light Fusion (2 MA, 1.4 µs), with a new vacuum transmission line and flyer load hardware designed specifically to give a line of sight for radiography. A broadband 10-20 keV x-ray source was produced by a portable X-pinch driver (140 kA, 350 ns) [Strucka et al., Matter Radiat. Extremes 7, 016901 (2021)] and was used to image the flyer. Radiography compliments the pre-existing diagnostic suite, which consists of current probes, velocimetry, and side-on optical probing of the impact shock transmitted into a transparent sample. The platform allows for significant insights into the 2D and 3D nature of the flyer launch, such as deformation and instability formation. It was used to diagnose a 10 × 9 × 1 mm3 aluminum flyer, which reached a peak velocity of 4.2 km s-1 before impact with a poly(methylmethacrylate) sample. The experimental configuration, on-shot source characterization, and the results from two flyer plate experiments on CEPAGE are discussed.

The profile of extreme tension wave front in aluminum

In this study, the extreme tension wave front profile (pull speed up to 1.6 km/s) in pure aluminum (density 2.7  g / cm 3 ) is analyzed using the LAMMPS molecular dynamics (MD) code and based on the tension conservation equations of mass, momentum, and energy. The simulation results agree favorably with the theoretical calculation. The profile of the extreme tension wave front is observed from the MD code simulation, and a typical shockless ramp wave front formation is identified during forced extreme tension loading. Further analysis was accomplished based on the formation of the ramp wave front, illustrating the behavior of the isentrope of aluminum under extreme tension loading.

A compact pulsed power driver with precisely shaped current waveforms for magnetically driven loading experiments

Magnetically driven loading techniques based on high current pulsed power drivers are very important tools for researching material dynamic behaviors and high-pressure physics. Based on the technologies of a Marx generator energy storage and low impedance coaxial cable energy transmission, a compact high current pulsed power driver CQ-7 was developed and established at the Institute of Fluid Physics, China Academy of Engineering Physics, which can generate precisely shaped current waveforms for magnetically driven loading experiments. CQ-7 is composed of 256 two-stage Marx generators in parallel with low impedance, high voltage coaxial cables for current output. The 256 Marx generators are divided into 16 groups, and each separate group can be individually triggered to discharge and shape currents in sequence by a low jitter, high voltage pulse trigger with 16 output signals. The electrical parameters of CQ-7 are a capacitance of 20.48 µF, an inductance of 4.12 nH, and a resistance of 3.35 mΩ in a short circuit. When working at the charging voltage of ±40-±60 kV, CQ-7 can deliver a peak current from 5 to 7 MA to the short-circuit loads with a rising time of 400-700 ns at different discharging time sequences. Two different experiments were conducted to test the performance of CQ-7: magnetically driven high velocity flyer plates and solid liner implosion. The results show that CQ-7 can accelerate the aluminum flyer plate with a size of 12 × 8 × 1 mm³ to more than 7.5 km/s and uniformly drive the aluminum liner with an inner diameter of 6.2 mm and a thickness of 0.4 mm to more than 9.5 km/s. Furthermore, these experiments indicate that CQ-7 is a robust platform for material dynamics and high-pressure physics.

A compact x-ray diffraction system for dynamic compression experiments on pulsed-power generators

Pulsed-power generators can produce well-controlled continuous ramp compression of condensed matter for high-pressure equation-of-state studies using the magnetic loading technique. X-ray diffraction (XRD) data from dynamically compressed samples provide direct measurements of the elastic compression of the crystal lattice, onset of plastic flow, strength-strain rate dependence, structural phase transitions, and density of crystal defects, such as dislocations. Here, we present a cost-effective, compact, pulsed x-ray source for XRD measurements on pulsed-power-driven ramp-loaded samples. This combination of magnetically driven ramp compression of materials with a single, short-pulse XRD diagnostic will be a powerful capability for the dynamic materials' community to investigate in situ dynamic phase transitions critical to equation of states. We present results using this new diagnostic to evaluate lattice compression in Zr and Al and to capture signatures of phase transitions in CdS.

Determining the electrical conductivity of metals using the 2 MA Thor pulsed power driver

We present the development of a pulsed power experimental technique to infer the electrical conductivity of metals from ambient to high energy density conditions. The method is implemented on Thor, a moderate scale (1-2 MA) pulsed power driver. The electrical conductivity of copper at elevated temperature (>4000 K) and pressure (>10 GPa) is determined, and a new tabular material model is developed, guided by density functional theory, which preserves agreement with existing experimental data. Minor modifications (<10%) are found to be necessary to the previous Lee-More-Desjarlais model isotherms in the vicinity of the melt transition in order to account for observed discrepancies with the new experimental data. An analytical model for magnetic direct drive flyer acceleration and Joule heating induced vaporization based on the Tsiolkovsky "rocket equation" is presented to assess sensitivity of the method to minor changes in electrical conductivity.

Improving sample preheating capabilities for dynamic loading on high-pulsed power drivers

The CEA operates several High-Pulsed Power (HPP) drivers for dynamic loading experiments. The aim of these experiments is to provide quantitative information about the response of various materials of interest, mainly under quasi-isentropic compression. In order to improve our ability to explore these materials' behavior over a wide range of thermodynamic paths and starting from various non-ambient conditions, we developed a device capable of pre-heating both metallic and nonmetallic samples up to several hundred degrees prior to loading. This device is based on conductive heating and on a configuration that allows homogeneous heating with unprecedented temperature stability on our HPP platforms. Moreover, it is designed to allow efficient sample heating, within extremely severe electromagnetic environments associated with such platforms. The main features of this preheating device, whose design was guided by extensive thermal simulations, are presented, along with various technical solutions that enabled its insertion in a reliable experimental configuration on our HPP drivers. The results obtained from preliminary experiments on a composite material (carbon fibers embedded in epoxy resin) and on a high purity copper sample preheated to 323 K and 573 K, respectively, are presented. The performance and robustness of this heating device are potentially valuable for extending the range of studies in dynamic loading experiments for various materials under ramp compression using HPP drivers.

GLIDER-A pulsed-current generator for laboratory astrophysics x-ray absorption experiments

In the field of pulse-power, there has always been an interest on small and medium size pulsed-current generators (≤2 MA) which are affordable and of low maintenance. We developed the GLIDER, a compact and modular generator, that drives a gas-puff z-pinch load as a soft x-ray source (0.1-1 keV) for laboratory astrophysics absorption experiments. It comprises 48 bricks, tightly packed in a 1.7 m × 3.5 m × 0.8 m transformer oil container. Its compactness and reliability was enabled owing to unique multilayered oil-soaked insulators, and more than 100 post-hole convolutes. Its stripline includes interchangeable tiles for ease of construction and maintenance. Six triggering units enable current pulse shaping. The GLIDER was tested up to ±60 kV (34 kJ) and produced 2 MA in 450 ns rise time on a 5 nH load. We present grating spectra of K-shell absorption of neutral O and N proving the experimental concept and demonstrating column density and ionization measurements.

Superfast assembly and synthesis of gold nanostructures using nanosecond low-temperature compression via magnetic pulsed power

Gold nanostructured materials exhibit important size- and shape-dependent properties that enable a wide variety of applications in photocatalysis, nanoelectronics and phototherapy. Here we show the use of superfast dynamic compression to synthesize extended gold nanostructures, such as nanorods, nanowires and nanosheets, with nanosecond coalescence times. Using a pulsed power generator, we ramp compress spherical gold nanoparticle arrays to pressures of tens of GPa, demonstrating pressure-driven assembly beyond the quasi-static regime of the diamond anvil cell. Our dynamic magnetic ramp compression approach produces smooth, shockless (that is, isentropic) one-dimensional loading with low-temperature states suitable for nanostructure synthesis. Transmission electron microscopy clearly establishes that various gold architectures are formed through compressive mesoscale coalescences of spherical gold nanoparticles, which is further confirmed by in-situ synchrotron X-ray studies and large-scale simulation. This nanofabrication approach applies magnetically driven uniaxial ramp compression to mimic established embossing and imprinting processes, but at ultra-short (nanosecond) timescales.

A pulse-shaping technique to investigate the behaviour of brittle materials subjected to plate-impact tests

Owing to their significant hardness and compressive strengths, ceramic materials are widely employed for use with protective systems subjected to high-velocity impact loadings. Therefore, their mechanical behaviour along with damage mechanisms need to be significantly investigated as a function of loading rates. However, the classical plate-impact testing procedures produce shock loadings in the brittle sample material which cause unrealistic levels of loading rates. Additionally, high-pulsed power techniques and/or functionally graded materials used as flyer plates to smooth the loading pulse remain costly, and are generally difficult to implement. In this study, a shockless plate-impact technique based on the use of either a wavy-machined flyer plate or buffer plate that can be produced by chip-forming is proposed. A series of numerical simulations using an explicit transient dynamic finite-element code have been performed to design and validate the experimental testing configuration. The calculations, conducted in two-dimensional (2D) plane-strain or in 2D axisymmetric modes, prove that the 'wavy' contact surface will produce a pulse-shaping effect, whereas the buffer plate will produce a homogenizing effect of the stress field along the transverse direction of the sample. In addition, 'wavy-shape' geometries of different sizes provide an easy way to change the level of loading rate and rise time in an experimentally tested ceramic specimen. Finally, when a shockless compression loading method is applied to the sample, a Lagrangian analysis of data is made possible by considering an assemblage of ceramic plates of different thicknesses in the target, so the axial stress-strain response of the brittle sample material can be provided.This article is part of the themed issue 'Experimental testing and modelling of brittle materials at high strain rates'.

MIDOT: A novel probe for monitoring high-current flat transmission lines

A novel inductive probe, termed MIDOT, was developed for monitoring high-current flat transmission lines. While being inexpensive the probe does not require calibration, is resistant to both shock waves and temperature variations, and it is easy to manufacture and mount. It generates strong output signals that are relatively easy to interpret and has a detection region limited to a pre-defined part of the transmission line. The theoretical background related to the MIDOT probes, together with their practical implementation in both preliminary experimentation and high-current tests, is also presented in the paper. The novel probe can be used to benchmark existing 2D numerical codes used in calculating the current distribution inside the conductors of a transmission line but can also easily detect an early movement of a transmission line component. The probe can also find other applications, such as locating the position of a pulsed current flowing through a thin wire.

Optimization of current waveform tailoring for magnetically driven isentropic compression experiments

The Thor pulsed power generator is being developed at Sandia National Laboratories. The design consists of up to 288 decoupled and transit time isolated capacitor-switch units, called "bricks," that can be individually triggered to achieve a high degree of pulse tailoring for magnetically driven isentropic compression experiments (ICE) [D. B. Reisman et al., Phys. Rev. Spec. Top.-Accel. Beams 18, 090401 (2015)]. The connecting transmission lines are impedance matched to the bricks, allowing the capacitor energy to be efficiently delivered to an ICE strip-line load with peak pressures of over 100 GPa. Thor will drive experiments to explore equation of state, material strength, and phase transition properties of a wide variety of materials. We present an optimization process for producing tailored current pulses, a requirement for many material studies, on the Thor generator. This technique, which is unique to the novel "current-adder" architecture used by Thor, entirely avoids the iterative use of complex circuit models to converge to the desired electrical pulse. We begin with magnetohydrodynamic simulations for a given material to determine its time dependent pressure and thus the desired strip-line load current and voltage. Because the bricks are connected to a central power flow section through transit-time isolated coaxial cables of constant impedance, the brick forward-going pulses are independent of each other. We observe that the desired equivalent forward-going current driving the pulse must be equal to the sum of the individual brick forward-going currents. We find a set of optimal brick delay times by requiring that the L2 norm of the difference between the brick-sum current and the desired forward-going current be a minimum. We describe the optimization procedure for the Thor design and show results for various materials of interest.

High velocity flyer plates launched by magnetic pressure on pulsed power generator CQ-4 and applied in shock Hugoniot experiments

High velocity flyer plates with good flatness and some thickness have being widely used to the field of shock physics for characterizations of materials under dynamical loading. The techniques of magnetically driven high-velocity flyer plates are further researched based on our pulsed power generators CQ-4 and some good results got on Sandia's Z machine. With large current of several mega-amperes, the loading surface of electrode panel will suffer acute phase transitions caused from magnetic diffusion and Joule heating, and the thickness and flatness of the flyer plates will change with time. In order to obtain the flyer plates with high performances for shock physics, some researches on electrode panels were done by means of LS-DYNA980 software with electro-magnetic package. Two typical configurations for high velocity flyer plates were compared from distribution uniformity of magnetic field in simulation. The results show that the configuration with counter-bore with "notch" and "ear" is better than the other. Then, with the better configuration panels, some experiments were designed and done to validate the simulation results and obtain high velocity flyer plates with good flatness for one-dimensional strain shock experiments on CQ-4. The velocity profiles of the flyer plates were measured by displacement interferometer systems for any reflectors. And the planarity of flyer plates was measured by using the optical fiber pins array for recording the flyer arrival time. The peak velocities of 8.7 km/s with initial dimension of 10 × 7.2 × 0.62 mm for aluminum flyer plates have been achieved. And the flyer plate with initial size of 12 × 9.2 × 0.73 mm was accelerated to velocity of 6.5 km/s with the flatness of less than 11 ns in the central region of 6 mm in diameter and the effective thickness of about 0.220 mm. Based on these work, the symmetrical impact experiments were performed to obtain the high accuracy Hugoniot data of OFHC (oxygen free high conductance) copper on CQ-4. The experimental results agree well with previous experiment's data given by Mcqueen and Marsh [J. Appl. Phys. 31, 1253 (1960)] and Mitchell and Nellis [J. Appl. Phys. 52, 3363 (1981)], and the experimental uncertainty of shock wave velocity is less than 2.4%.

Capacitor blocks for linear transformer driver stages

In the Linear Transformer Driver (LTD) technology, the low inductance energy storage components and switches are directly incorporated into the individual cavities (named stages) to generate a fast output voltage pulse, which is added along a vacuum coaxial line like in an inductive voltage adder. LTD stages with air insulation were recently developed, where air is used both as insulation in a primary side of the stages and as working gas in the LTD spark gap switches. A custom designed unit, referred to as a capacitor block, was developed for use as a main structural element of the transformer stages. The capacitor block incorporates two capacitors GA 35426 (40 nF, 100 kV) and multichannel multigap gas switch. Several modifications of the capacitor blocks were developed and tested on the life time and self breakdown probability. Blocks were tested both as separate units and in an assembly of capacitive module, consisting of five capacitor blocks. This paper presents detailed design of capacitor blocks, description of operation regimes, numerical simulation of electric field in the switches, and test results.

A modularized pulse forming line using glass-ceramic slabs

In our lab, a kind of glass-ceramic slab has been chosen to study the issues of applying solid-state dielectrics to pulse forming lines (PFLs). Limited by the manufacture of the glass-ceramic bulk with large sizes, a single ceramic slab is hard to store sufficient power for the PFL. Therefore, a modularized PFL design concept is proposed in this paper. We regard a single ceramic slab as a module to form each single Blumlein PFL. We connect ceramic slabs in series to enlarge pulse width, and stack the ceramic Blumlein PFLs in parallel to increase the output voltage amplitude. Testing results of a single Blumlein PFL indicate that one ceramic slab contributes about 11 ns to the total pulse width which has a linear relation to the number of the ceramic slabs. We have developed a prototype facility of the 2-stage stacked Blumlein PFL with a length of 2 ceramic slabs. The PFL is dc charged up to 5 kV, and the output voltage pulse of 10 kV, 22 ns is measured across an 8 Ω load. Simulation and experiment results in good agreement demonstrate that the modularized design is reasonable.

Note: compact helical pulse forming line for the generation of longer duration rectangular pulse

The helical pulsed forming line (PFL) can generate longer duration rectangular pulse in a smaller length. A compact PFL using helical water line is designed and experimentally investigated. The impedance of the helical PFL is 22 [ohm sign]. The compactness is achieved in terms of reduction in length of the PFL by a factor of 5.5 using helical water PFL as compared to coaxial water PFL of same length. The helical PFL was pulsed charged to 200 kV using a high voltage pulse transformer in 4.5 μs and discharged into the matched 22 Ω resistive load through a self-breakdown pressurized spark gap switch. The rectangular voltage pulse of 100 kV, 260 ns (FWHM) is measured across the load. The effect of reduction in water temperature on the pulse width is also studied experimentally. The increase in pulse width up to 7% more is observed by reducing the temperature of the deionized water to 5 °C. It will further reduce the length of the PFL and make the system small for compact pulsed power drivers.

Compact pulse forming line using barium titanate ceramic material

Ceramic material has very high relative permittivity, so compact pulse forming line can be made using these materials. Barium titanate (BaTiO(3)) has a relative permittivity of 1200 so it is used for making compact pulse forming line (PFL). Barium titanate also has piezoelectric effects so it cracks during high voltages discharges due to stresses developed in it. Barium titanate is mixed with rubber which absorbs the piezoelectric stresses when the PFL is charged and regain its original shape after the discharge. A composite mixture of barium titanate with the neoprene rubber is prepared. The relative permittivity of the composite mixture is measured to be 85. A coaxial pulse forming line of inner diameter 120 mm, outer diameter 240 mm, and length 350 mm is made and the composite mixture of barium titanate and neoprene rubber is filled between the inner and outer cylinders. The PFL is charged up to 120 kV and discharged into 5 Ω load. The voltage pulse of 70 kV, 21 ns is measured across the load. The conventional PFL is made up of oil or plastics dielectrics with the relative permittivity of 2-10 [D. R. Linde, CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 90th ed. (CRC, 2009); Xia et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79, 086113 (2008); Yang et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 81, 43303 (2010)], which increases the length of PFL. We have reported the compactness in length achieved due to increase in relative permittivity of composite mixture by adding barium titanate in neoprene rubber.