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Ion beam divergence from unstable fluctuations in applied-[ital B] diodes

Journal Article · · Physics of Fluids B; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.860901· OSTI ID:5409018
;  [1]
  1. Laboratory of Plasma Studies, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York 14853 (United States)

An electron plasma oscillation driven unstable by ion streaming is identified with the low-frequency mode observed in QUICKSILVER [[ital Computational] [ital Physics], edited by A. Tenner (World Scientific, Singapore, 1991), pp. 475--482] numerical simulations. This mode heats the electrons along the magnetic field and is ultimately stabilized by the thermal spread. A quasilinear theory determines the saturation level of the fluctuations, the ion divergence, and the ion energy and momentum spread as they exit the diode. The ion divergence is predicted to be independent of the ion mass for fixed diode voltage and scales as the product of the effective gap and the ion beam enhancement factor over Child--Langmuir current.

OSTI ID:
5409018
Journal Information:
Physics of Fluids B; (United States), Journal Name: Physics of Fluids B; (United States) Vol. 5:5; ISSN PFBPEI; ISSN 0899-8221
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English