Multicavity linear transformer driver facility for Z -pinch and high-power microwave research

BLUE is a four-cavity linear transformer driver system in the Plasma, Pulsed Power, and Microwave Laboratory at the University of Michigan. Each BLUE cavity can store up to 2 kJ of electrical energy and provide an open-circuit voltage of 200 kV when using the maximum bipolar charge voltage of $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}100\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{kV}$. The impedance of each cavity is approximately $0.5\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Omega}}$, and the rise time of the current pulse into a reasonably matched load is $\ensuremath{\sim}100\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{ns}$. The system will be used to study high-energy-density $Z$-pinch plasmas and high-power radiation sources. The facility has been equipped to handle intense bursts of x rays, nuclear fusion neutrons, and high-power microwaves (HPM). This paper reports on the construction and performance of the first (prototype) BLUE cavity and its auxiliary systems, as well as preliminary experiments using the cavity to drive resistive loads and a magnetically insulated line oscillator (MILO) HPM device. In these initial single cavity, BLUE-driven MILO experiments, 1.19 GHz microwave oscillations were successfully generated.