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Title: Two-dimensional relativistic space charge limited current flow in the drift space

Journal Article · · Physics of Plasmas
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4869732· OSTI ID:22253353
;  [1];  [2]
  1. A-STAR Institute of High Performance Computing, Singapore 138632 (Singapore)
  2. Engineering Product Development, Singapore University of Technology and Design, Singapore 138682 (Singapore)

Relativistic two-dimensional (2D) electrostatic (ES) formulations have been derived for studying the steady-state space charge limited (SCL) current flow of a finite width W in a drift space with a gap distance D. The theoretical analyses show that the 2D SCL current density in terms of the 1D SCL current density monotonically increases with D/W, and the theory recovers the 1D classical Child-Langmuir law in the drift space under the approximation of uniform charge density in the transverse direction. A 2D static model has also been constructed to study the dynamical behaviors of the current flow with current density exceeding the SCL current density, and the static theory for evaluating the transmitted current fraction and minimum potential position have been verified by using 2D ES particle-in-cell simulation. The results show the 2D SCL current density is mainly determined by the geometrical effects, but the dynamical behaviors of the current flow are mainly determined by the relativistic effect at the current density exceeding the SCL current density.

OSTI ID:
22253353
Journal Information:
Physics of Plasmas, Vol. 21, Issue 4; Other Information: (c) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 1070-664X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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