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U.S. Department of Energy
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Particle-in-cell simulations of high-power electron beam diodes

Conference ·
OSTI ID:20067600
High-power electron beams have a wide variety of applications including electron beam welding, electron-beam-pumped KrF lasers, and the production of bremsstrahlung radiation for radiography and weapons effects studies. One of the present research areas of high-power electron beam diodes is to develop an intense radiographic source with a submillimeter-diameter spot size with an endpoint energy of a few hundred keV. At the heart of this technology is the electron-beam diode where electrons are accelerated by strong diode electric and magnetic fields. To make an intense x-ray radiographic source with a sub-millimeter-diameter spot size, it is desirable to operate in a pinch-beam-mode. To do this, it is necessary for the diode to draw enough current at, or below, the desired endpoint voltages so that the beam will be strongly pinched (i.e., V>>V{dagger}). Since the critical current is a very weak function of the diodes geometry, choosing the appropriate diode geometry is an ideal way to achieve this goal. Some preliminary designs that theoretically achieve this goal and available experimental data will be presented.
Research Organization:
Naval Research Lab., Washington, DC (US)
Sponsoring Organization:
US Department of Energy
OSTI ID:
20067600
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English