An externally heated, hollow cathode arc source was recommissioned at UCLA for use in experiments to drive plasma wakefields with shaped beams at the Argonne Wakefield Accelerator. The hollow cathode arc source provides a robust plasma column with a density in the ${10}^{13}$ – ${10}^{14}$ cm ${}^{-3}$ range while external heating of the cathode allows the plasma arc regime to be accessed with applied voltages down to 20 V. Overall source operating principals are described, along with time-resolved plasma current measurements and plasma density characterization with the use of a triple Langumir probe. The results show that relevant plasma densities that match facility beam parameters are readily achievable.

A plasma-based opening switch, capable of handling kiloampere currents at kilovolt potentials on the microsecond timescale, is described and characterized. The principle of operation is the deflection of a laser-induced arc by an external magnetic field to a shunt circuit path. A first-order model of operation is introduced. Finally, the merits of the device, particularly when applied to high-repetition-rate dense plasma focus (DPF) systems, are discussed.