Pinched relativistic electron beams and collective acceleration of ions
This work discusses the collective acceleration of ions by a pinched relativistic electron beam. Two areas of relativistic electron beam research are investigated, electron beam pinch in the diode and the ion acceleration in an evacuated drift-chamber. A 550 keV electron beam with peak current of 55 kA and of 50 nanoseconds duration, was produced in a high-voltage diode, designed specifically for a tight pinching of the electron beam. The characteristics of the electron-beam pinch were investigated by means of x-ray pin-hole photography, scintillator photography, current and energy measurements in the focal spot of the anode, and damage patterns on witness anode plates. The ion acceleration was studied by means of time-analyzed current measurements, ion time-of-flight analysis, and calorimetry. A significant fraction of the electron beam was found to be pinched into a 2-mm diameter spot in the anode center. This tightly pinched electron beam penetrated into an evacuated drift-chamber through a thin foil anode, accelerating ions from the anode surface in the direction of the beam propagation. Two types of ions were found, 1.7 MeV protons and unidentified heavier ions with an average velocity of 6.0 10/sup 8/ cm/sec. The slower ions were probably carbon, oxygen or titanium with various states of charge. A model for ion acceleration is proposed, assuming creation of a deep electrostatic potential well in the drift chamber. This well is created by the electron beam, stopped for a short time by its space-charge forces, after penetrating into the drift-chamber.
- Research Organization:
- Yeshiva Univ., New York (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6053137
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
430200* -- Particle Accelerators-- Beam Dynamics
Field Calculations
& Ion Optics
ACCELERATORS
BARYONS
BEAM DYNAMICS
BEAMS
CARBON IONS
CHARGED PARTICLES
COLLECTIVE ACCELERATORS
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ELEMENTS
FERMIONS
HADRONS
IONS
LEPTON BEAMS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
METALS
NUCLEONS
OXYGEN IONS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PROTONS
TITANIUM
TRANSITION ELEMENTS