A probable breakdown mechanism in the electron beam sustained CO/sub 2/ laser. Master's thesis

Technical Report · Mon Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981

OSTI ID:5481610

Timm, R D

A stable high-pressure electric discharge is produced using an electron-beam to ionize the gas in the CO/sub 2/ -N/sub 2/ -He laser. The important electron loss process in this type of discharge are recombination and attachment. The prominent instability in the nonself-sustaining discharge is the streamer which leads to arcing and complete breakdown of the gas. A qualitative analysis of streamer formation based on the ionization and resultant electron production of secondary electrons of setup an avalanche starting the chain which produces a highly conductive channel and results in the complete breakdown of the gas is presented. The onset of streamer formation at the anode is aided by local release and ionization of neutral atoms. The resulting increase of the plasma pressure leads to an increase of the potential and the onset of unipolar arcing.

• Research Organization: Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 5481610
• Report Number(s): AD-A-105809/8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
420300* -- Engineering-- Lasers-- (-1989)
BEAMS
BREAKDOWN
CARBON DIOXIDE LASERS
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
CURRENTS
DENSITY
ELECTRIC ARCS
ELECTRIC CURRENTS
ELECTRIC DISCHARGES
ELECTRON BEAMS
GAS LASERS
LASERS
LEPTON BEAMS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PUMPING
QUALITATIVE CHEMICAL ANALYSIS