Optimization of load configurations for isentropic compression experiments on PTS

Isentropic compression experiments have been developed for the study of the equation of state for materials at extreme pressures. We use the PTS facility to achieve a quasi-isentropic compression and hyper-velocity flyer launch. A series of experiments for the understanding of the load configuration design, such as the load structure, the electrode gap and plate size, are presented, analyzed, and compared. The electromagnetic simulation has been used to analyze the magnetic fields amplitude and uniformity on the inner surfaces of the load configurations. Some load configurations are designed for the study of the uniformity and consistency of the magnetic pressures on the electrode surfaces by a ramped compression wave. Based on the simulation and experiments, a stripline load configuration is chosen to enhance the magnetic pressures and improve the PTSs performance for isentropic compression experiments. Until now, an isentropic pressure of about 100 GPa and more than 10 km/s flyer launch demonstrated on the PTS facility have been obtained using the stripline loads.