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

Limiting currents of an unneutralized magnetized electron beam in a cylindrical drift tube

Journal Article · · Phys. Fluids; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.862148· OSTI ID:6676994
Results of an investigation of the steady state injection of a uniform unneutralized, magnetized, relativistic electron beam into a cylindrical drift tube are presented. The space-charge-limited current and the asymptotic kinetic energy of electrons on axis is determined both numerically and analytically as a function of the input kinetic energy (..gamma../sub 0/-1) mc/sup 2/ and of the ratio of beam-to-wall radii. A previously cited ''interpolation formula'' is obtained in the pencil beam limit, but more accurate limiting current expressions are developed for other cases (such as the fat beam limit) where the interpolation formula is as much as 20% in error. The corresponding axial electron energy is also found to be significantly smaller than the previously cited value of (..gamma../sup 1/3//sub 0/-1) mc/sup 2/ except in the strong pencil beam limit.
Research Organization:
Austin Research Associates, Austin, Texas 78758
OSTI ID:
6676994
Journal Information:
Phys. Fluids; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Fluids; (United States) Vol. 21:11; ISSN PFLDA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Limiting currents in unneutralized relativistic electron beams
Journal Article · Mon Oct 15 00:00:00 EDT 1973 · Appl. Phys. Lett., v. 23, no. 8, pp. 426-428 · OSTI ID:4364949

Space-charge limiting currents in a drift tube of finite length. Master's thesis
Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978 · OSTI ID:5706315

Studies of an unneutral electron cloud confined in a multiple-mirrored toroidal magnetic field)/sup a/
Journal Article · Mon Sep 15 00:00:00 EDT 1980 · Appl. Phys. Lett.; (United States) · OSTI ID:5017882