Theory of the beam-plasma discharge

Journal Article · Sat May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976 · Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States)

OSTI ID:7327650

Lebedev, P M; Onishchenko, I N; Tkach, Y V; Fainberg, Y B; Shevchenko, V I

A collective mechanism is studied for gas breakdown by an electron beam. It is found that through direct collisions the beam produces a plasma with a density comparable to its own density. During the subsequent evolution of the two-stream instability the plasma electrons are heated in the wave fields to energies comparable to the ionization energy, so that the plasma density begins to grow in an avalanche manner. Computer solutions of the particle and energy balance equations yield qualitative estimates for the breakdown time as a function of the beam properties and the gas pressure, with diffusion and recombination taken into account. The conditions governing the transition from ionization by binary collisions of beam electrons to a collective ionization mechanism are studied. A comparison is made with available experimental data. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Physicotechnical Institute, Academy of Sciences of the Ukrainian SSR, Khar'kov
• OSTI ID: 7327650
• Journal Information: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States), Journal Name: Sov. J. Plasma Phys. (Engl. Transl.); (United States) Vol. 2:3; ISSN SJPPD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
700106* -- Fusion Energy-- Plasma Research-- Plasma Production-- (-1987)
BEAM-PLASMA SYSTEMS
BEAMS
BREAKDOWN
ELECTRON BEAMS
ENERGY BALANCE
INSTABILITY
IONIZATION
LEPTON BEAMS
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MICROINSTABILITIES
PLASMA WAVES
TWO-STREAM INSTABILITY