On the initiation and evolution of dielectric breakdown in auto-magnetizing liner experiments
Auto-magnetizing (AutoMag) liners are cylindrical tubes composed of discrete metallic helices encapsulated in insulating material; when driven with a ~2 MA, ~100-ns prepulse on the 20 MA, 100-ns rise time Z accelerator, AutoMag targets produced >150 T internal axial magnetic fields. Once the current rise rate of the pulsed power driver reaches sufficient magnitude, the induced electric fields in the liner cause dielectric breakdown of the insulator material and, with sufficient current, the cylindrical target radially implodes. The dielectric breakdown process of the insulating material in AutoMag liners has been studied in experiments on the 500–900 kA, ~100-ns rise time Mykonos accelerator. Multi-frame gated imaging enabled the first time-resolved observations of photoemission from dynamically evolving plasma distributions during the breakdown process in AutoMag targets. Using magnetohydrodynamic simulations, we calculate the induced electric field distribution and provide a detailed comparison to the experimental data. We find that breakdown in AutoMag targets does not primarily depend on the induced electric field in the gaps between conductive helices as previously thought. Finally, to better control the dielectric breakdown time, a 12–32 mJ, 170 ps ultraviolet (λ = 266 nm) laser was implemented to irradiate the outer surface of AutoMag targets to promote breakdown in a controlled manner at a lower internal axial field. Here, the laser had an observable effect on the time of breakdown and subsequent plasma evolution, indicating that pulsed UV lasers can be used to control breakdown timing in AutoMag.