This report discusses one new way to generate high pressure without using high quality explosives. Exploding foil techniques, the proposed method, results in a high pressure pulse of very short duration against a target. This phenomenon can be subdivided into three phases: the initial region at which the material heats up and explodes, the region of the dwell phase at which the vaporized material forms a low-conductivity vapor, and the region at which a resurge of current occurs in the vapor. Data applicable to rapidly exploded foils and wires are discussed, and the foils appear to be more suitable for simulating high pressure short duration shock waves because of the greater directionality achieved and shorter heating time. Exploding foil techniques could represent an applicable, inexpensive tool for simulation of high pressure short duration shock waves. The task here was to plan and design an apparatus for generating shock waves in the laboratory by exploding foil.
