EXPERIMENTAL STUDIES OF THE EMISSION AND DISCHARGE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE Ta-Cs SYSTEM

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1962 · Advan. Energy Conversion

OSTI ID:4720167

Gibbons, M D

Emission and discharge measurements made on a CsTa emitter in a tube with parallel electrode geometry and with an adjustable emitter-collector spacing are described. Emission results indicated that this particular Ta- Cs emitter surface has an emission capability greater than that reported by Taylor and Langmuir for Cs- W, while the emission maxima are shifted to lower temperatures. This increase in emission over that usually reported for Cs- Ta is believed due to a preferred orientation of the Ta surface. The large enhancement of the emission during the discharge is believed due to the lowering of the work function by the effective increase in the adsorption of Cs which is due to the increased arrival rate caused by the retarding field for ions. This mechanism is probable in the region where the surface ionization is expected. The discharge studies involve the measurement of the breakdown and maintenance potentials of the hot cathode arc discharge for various emitter-collector spacings, emitter temperatures, and Cs pressures. Corrections for the contact potential and sheath potentials are applied to the experimental data. For a pressure the order of 1 mm, and high emitter temperatures, the results indicate that the magnitude of the emitter sheath potential is close to the first resonance level of Cs. This strongly suggests a multi-step process. (auth)

• Research Organization: General Electric Co., Schenectady, N.Y.
• NSA Number: NSA-17-020621
• OSTI ID: 4720167
• Journal Information: Advan. Energy Conversion, Journal Name: Advan. Energy Conversion Vol. Vol: 2
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ADSORPTION
BREAKDOWN
CATHODES
CESIUM
CONFIGURATION
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON TUBES
EMISSION
ENERGY LEVELS
IONIZATION
IONS
LAYERS
MEASURED VALUES
PHYSICS
PRESSURE
RESONANCE
SURFACES
TANTALUM
TEMPERATURE