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The temporal evolution of neon pinch plasmas, generated in a 2kJ plasma focus device, has been investigated by x-ray spectroscopic methods for two sets of device parameters. These two sets lead to characteristic differences of the K-shell emission. Stationary models are shown to fail to explain the experimental observations even qualitatively. Transient spectra analysis shows that the characteristic differences observed can be referred to different transient modes of plasma dynamics. The spectra analysis includes beside resonance lines also dielectronic satellites and recombination continua. The results concerning the development of the plasma parameters achieved by the spectra modeling are supported by independent measurements of the time resolved K-shell emission and by optical streak images of the pinch plasma dynamics, which confirms the reliability of the transient spectroscopic analysis presented

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The microscopic structure and the spatial distribution of the cathode spots in a radial multichannel pseudospark switch have been investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy. Current pulses of about 15 my s duration and peak amplitudes up to 340 kA have been applied. When using stainless steel and copper as electrode material cathode spots of type I and type II are observed. These cathode spots appear in groups (macrospots) with a diameter of several 100 mu m. Assuming that the lifetime of the macrospots corresponds to the half period time of the current pulse the distribution of the cathode spots within the macrospots can be explained by a retrograde motion of the spots with a velocity of several 100 m/s in the self-magnetic field of the discharge current. Furthermore, the spatial distribution of the cathode spots within the macrospots can be interpreted by assuming a splitting and a repulsion of the cathode spots. The electrode phenomena show that the discharge current is d istributed over a large area which is prerequisite for low erosion and long lifetime operation of the switch

Analysis of discharge mechanism in especially designed pseudosparks that facilitate pseudospark characteristic low-erosive conduction at very high currents is presented. The alternate formulation of criterion for transition to arc discharge phase developed here enables us to account for the emergence of arcs at each aperture after a threshold electric charge is transmitted in these devices. The use of a large number of apertures is found to have no influence on discharge condition that initiates arc formation at individual apertures.