Sub-millisecond electrical explosion of thin Aluminium foil: Explosion dynamics, Material Phase transitions and Plasma formation

TL;DR

This study investigates the explosion dynamics, phase transitions, and plasma formation in thin aluminium foils using electrical and optical diagnostics, revealing new signatures and a phenomenological model.

Contribution

It introduces new experimental signatures and a phenomenological theory to explain aluminium foil explosion dynamics and plasma formation.

Findings

Twin-peaks in voltage indicate melting and vaporization.

A novel voltage dip correlates with arc formation.

Arc formation is essential for plasma creation.

Abstract

Experiments with thin 13 microns thick Al-foils have been carried out to explain its explosion dynamics, accompanying phase transitions and its relation to formation of plasma. Fast framing cameras were used to record the foil radiation during explosion process and have been correlated with electrical diagnostics to understand the underlying process such as hot spot formation and foil radiation. The electrical explosion was driven by pulsed power for which a capacitive power supply of rating 5kV,0.93mF was used. Our experiments have obtained experimental signatures to identify phases and transitions. Twin-peaks in voltage across the electrodes are repeatedly observed corresponding to melting and vaporization of aluminium foil followed by a Novel dip in voltage across the foil. To explain the signatures a phenomenological theory has been proposed and is validated in terms of integral of specific action. The experimentally obtained specific actions are in reasonable agreement with Tucker-Toth data. The Novel dip in voltage across the foil corresponding to Arc formation with Dark, Glow and Arc regions are identified. Our experiments also show that arc formation is essential for plasma formation.