Electron emission at the rail surface

Conference · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States)

OSTI ID:5609048

Thornhill, L; Battech, J ^[1]

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1. Science Applications International Corp., Marietta, GA (United States)

In this paper the authors examine the processes by which current is transferred from the cathode rail to the plasma armature in an arc-driven railgun. Three electron emission mechanisms are considered, namely thermionic emission, field-enhanced thermionic emission (or Schottky emission), and photoemission. The author's calculations show that the dominant electron emission mechanism depends, to a great extent, on the work function of the rail surface, the rail surface temperature, the electric field at the rail surface, and the effective radiation temperature of the plasma. For conditions that are considered to be typical of a railgun armature, Schottky emission is the dominant electron emission mechanism, providing current densities on the order of 10{sup 9} A/m{sup 2}.

• OSTI ID: 5609048
• Report Number(s): CONF-9004136-; CODEN: IEMGA; TRN: 92-009566
• Journal Information: IEEE Transactions on Magnetics (Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers); (United States), Vol. 27:1; Conference: 5. IEEE symposium on electromagnetic launcher technology, Destin, FL (United States), 1-5 Apr 1990; ISSN 0018-9464
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
Fu
CATHODES
ELECTRON EMISSION
PLASMA GUNS
ELECTROMECHANICS
CURRENT DENSITY
ELECTRIC FIELDS
ELECTRON TEMPERATURE
FIELD EMISSION
PHOTOEMISSION
PLASMA
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RAILGUN ACCELERATORS
SCHOTTKY EFFECT
THERMIONIC EMISSION
ACCELERATORS
ELECTRODES
EMISSION
MECHANICS
SECONDARY EMISSION
700460* - Fusion Technology- Heating & Fueling Systems
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