Award Date

1-1-2006

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Electrical and Computer Engineering

First Committee Member

Robert A. Schill, Jr.

Number of Pages

271

Abstract

The Nevada Shocker is a pulsed power machine composed of a 540 kV (maximum), 4.54 kJ (maximum) Marx Bank in series with a 50 ns pulse forming Blumlein activated by a self breaking water switch. The energy released by the water dielectric Blumlein is guided by a water-filled coaxial line to a vacuum chamber containing a parallel plate diode. A cylinder of Rexolite plastic is sandwiched in between the parallel plate diode electrodes. The applied field mechanically stresses the electrodes on a molecular level generating a shock wave that changes the localized index of refraction. Further during discharge, the applied electric field also results in a change in index of refraction. Interferometers may be used to detect small, localized changes at each point in time. This thesis provides a preliminary study of interferometry probing the characteristics of Rexolite plastic under stress on a prototype of the setup modeled on the environment housing the Nevada Shocker.

Keywords

Detector; Interferometry; Measure; Optical; Perturbations; Plastics; System

Controlled Subject

Electrical engineering

File Format

pdf

File Size

6287.36 KB

Degree Grantor

University of Nevada, Las Vegas

Language

English

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