On the phase state of thin silver wire cores during a fast electric explosion

The results of laser (shadow and interferometric) studies of thin silver wire cores during a nanosecond electric explosion in vacuum are presented. Experiments were performed with a small Micro-4 generator (the charge voltage is 20 kV, and the current rise rate is 100 A/ns). The analysis of the data obtained showed that, despite a considerable energy deposition (a few atomization energies) into matter at the resistive stage of the discharge, a conductor is not completely evaporated. This is related to the features of the metal-dielectric transition which occurs nonuniformly in different load regions. Processes proceeding in the case of a rapid energy deposition to a conductor are qualitatively interpreted. It was shown that in this case the bond energy as the unit of measurement of the deposited energy is more appropriate than the energy of atomisation. Published by AIP Publishing.