Title :
Observation of enhanced prebreakdown electron beams in a vacuum spark with a hollow-cathode configuration
Author :
Wong, C.S. ; Ong, C.X. ; Lee, S. ; Choi, P.
Author_Institution :
Dept. of Phys., Malaya Univ., Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
fDate :
8/1/1992 12:00:00 AM
Abstract :
The generation of prebreakdown electron beams in a low-energy vacuum spark with a hollow-cathode configuration is observed under a range of experimental conditions. The vacuum spark studied is powered by either a 25-kV, 3.3-nF single capacitor discharge or a two-stage, 50-kV, 1.65-nF Marx. The electron beams are detected by observing the X-ray emission from the anode tip produced by electron impact. Results show that an electron beam is formed well before the onset of the electrical breakdown. This prebreakdown electron beam has an initial slow buildup phase followed by an exponential rise, leading to the breakdown of the discharge. This behavior of the electron beam evolution is in good qualitative agreement with the model simulation of the pseudospark phenomenon obtained for a transient hollow-cathode discharge
Keywords :
electric breakdown of gases; electron beams; glow discharges; plasma diagnostics; plasma production; sparks; 1.65 nF; 25 kV; 3.3 nF; 50 kV; X-ray emission; anode tip; breakdown; buildup phase; capacitor discharge; diagnostics; electrical breakdown; electron impact; enhanced prebreakdown electron beams; hollow-cathode configuration; low-energy discharge; plasma production; pseudospark phenomenon; transient hollow-cathode discharge; vacuum spark; Anodes; Cathodes; Electric breakdown; Electron beams; Laboratories; Plasma density; Plasma materials processing; Plasma measurements; Plasma x-ray sources; Sparks;
Journal_Title :
Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on
