A Low-Pressure Hollow Anode Plasma Source for Generation of High-Current Electron Beams

Summary form only given. We report results on a high-current hollow anode plasma source triggered by a ferroelectric surface discharge. This plasma source was used for generation of high-current electron beams in a diode under acceleration voltage of 300 kV and ~400 ns pulse duration. For the ferroelectric sample we used a BaTi solid solution with a large dielectric constant (epsiap1600). The studied hollow anode design allows reliable ignition and sustaining of the discharge with current amplitude of up to 1.2 kA and pulse duration of up to 20 mus. Parameters of the hollow anode plasma and generated electron beam were studied by the use of different time and space resolved electrical, optical, X-ray and spectroscopic diagnostics. Generation of high-current electron beams with current amplitude up to 1 kA was demonstrated. Models explaining electron emission from positively charged hollow anode plasma and the existence of an optimal resistor which supplies an auto-bias potential to the hollow-anode output grid are suggested