Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

A multiple gap plasma cathode electron gun and its electron beam analysis in self and trigger breakdown modes

Journal Article · · Review of Scientific Instruments
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4943293· OSTI ID:22597080
; ;  [1]; ; ;  [1]
  1. CSIR-Central Electronics Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-CEERI), Pilani, Rajasthan 333031 (India)

In the present paper, a pseudospark discharge based multiple gap plasma cathode electron gun is reported which has been operated separately in self and trigger breakdown modes using two different gases, namely, argon and hydrogen. The beam current and beam energy have been analyzed using a concentric ring diagnostic arrangement. Two distinct electron beams are clearly seen with hollow cathode and conductive phases. The hollow cathode phase has been observed for ∼50 ns where the obtained electron beam is having low beam current density and high energy. While in conductive phase it is high current density and low energy electron beam. It is inferred that in the hollow cathode phase the beam energy is more for the self breakdown case whereas the current density is more for the trigger breakdown case. The tailor made operation of the hollow cathode phase electron beam can play an important role in microwave generation. Up to 30% variation in the electron beam energy has been achieved keeping the same gas and by varying the breakdown mode operations. Also, up to 32% variation in the beam current density has been achieved for the trigger breakdown mode at optimized trigger position by varying the gas type.

OSTI ID:
22597080
Journal Information:
Review of Scientific Instruments, Journal Name: Review of Scientific Instruments Journal Issue: 3 Vol. 87; ISSN 0034-6748; ISSN RSINAK
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Electron beam generation during the hollow cathode phase of pseudospark operation
Conference · Fri Dec 30 23:00:00 EST 1994 · OSTI ID:42954

Investigations about triggering of coaxial multichannel pseudospark switches
Journal Article · Mon Jan 31 23:00:00 EST 1994 · IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States) · OSTI ID:6857388

Corona-plasma triggered pseudospark discharges
Journal Article · Thu Jun 01 00:00:00 EDT 1995 · IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science · OSTI ID:118947