High power switching and other high power devices. Final technical report, 1 May 1989-31 July 1992

Technical Report · Wed Sep 30 04:00:00 EDT 1992

OSTI ID:6902525

Gundersen, M

High power thyratrons and devices such as high power microwave sources have cathode-related performance limits. The report describes research of a simple, robust super-emissive cathode that produces > 1 0,000 A/cm2 from a macroscopic area (approx. 1 cm2), and operates with a low pressure (approx. 0. 1 torr), spatially-uniform glow plasma (density >1015 cm-3). The cathode also can operate as a hollow cathode, and is at the heart of the operation of the pseudospark and back-lighted thyratron. The physics of this hollow and super-emissive cathode is very rich. The hollow cathode geometry traps electrons in the hollow cathode backspace. The lifetime of these electrons enables them to ionize a spatially homogeneous high density glow, and this hollow cathode mode of operation is responsible for certain types of electron and ion beam behavior. A plasma cathode sheath that is formed during this phase leads to super-emissive behavior, which is responsible for high current emission. Super- emissive cathode thyratron-type switches (with higher peak current, voltage, di/dt) being developed for pulsed power switching of lasers, accelerators, high current and high coulomb transfer, Marx bank operation, transfer of technology to commercial applications, high current electron beams, and millimeter wave generation (1-100 GHz) are described.

• Research Organization: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (United States). Dept. of Electrical Engineering Electrophysics
• OSTI ID: 6902525
• Report Number(s): AD-A-256974/7/XAB; CNN: DAAL03-89-K-0097
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

42 ENGINEERING
426000* -- Engineering-- Components
Electron Devices & Circuits-- (1990-)
BEAMS
CATHODES
DENSITY
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT
ELECTRODES
ELECTRON BEAMS
ELECTRON TUBES
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
EQUIPMENT
FERMIONS
GAS DISCHARGE TUBES
GEOMETRY
ION BEAMS
LASERS
LEPTON BEAMS
LEPTONS
LOW PRESSURE
MATHEMATICS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PERFORMANCE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
POWER
SWITCHES
THYRATRONS