The Role of Electrode Contamination and the Effects of Cleaning and Conditioning on the Performance of High-Energy, Pulsed-Power Devices
- Sandia National Laboratories
High-energy pulsed-power devices routinely access field strengths above those at which broad-area, cathode-initiated, high-voltage vacuum-breakdown occur. Examples include magnetically-insulated-transmission lines and current convolutes, high-current-density electron and ion diodes, high-power microwave devices, and cavities and other structures for electrostatic and RF accelerators. Energy deposited in anode surfaces may exceed anode plasma thermal-desorption creation thresholds on the time-scale of the pulse. Stimulated resorption by electron or photon bombardment can also lead to plasma formation on electrode or insulator surfaces. Device performance is limited above these thresholds, particularly impulse length and energy, by the formation and expansion of neutral and plasma layers formed, primarily from electrode contaminants. In-situ conditioning tech&ques to modify and eliminate the contaminants through multiple high-voltage pukes, low base pressures, RF discharge cleaning, heating, surface coatings, and ion- and electron-beam surface treatment allow access to new regimes of performance through control of plasma formation and modification of the plasma properties. Experimental and theoretical progress from a variety of devices and small scale experiments with a variety of treatment methods will be reviewed and recommendations given for future work.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-94AL85000
- OSTI ID:
- 1937
- Report Number(s):
- SAND98-1396J; ON: DE00001937
- Journal Information:
- Special Issue of the IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation, Journal Name: Special Issue of the IEEE Transactions on Dielectrics and Electrical Insulation
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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