Explosive Emission Properties of Cathode Materials in Relativistic Electron Beam Generation

Author

Chandra, Ranveer ; Roy, Anirban ; Kalyanasundaram, Suresh ; Patel, A.S. ; Sharma, V.K. ; Menon, Rajesh ; Pasula, Naresh ; Kumar, Ravindra ; Ventizenko, Iger ; Mashchenko, Alexander ; Kolge, Tanmay ; Tewari, Somesh Vinayak ; Agarwal, Rohit ; Sharma, Ashok

Author_Institution

Dept. of Atomic Energy, Bhabha Atomic Res. Centre, Mumbai, India

Volume

42

Issue

11

fYear

2014

fDate

Nov. 2014

Firstpage

3491

Lastpage

3497

Abstract

Relativistic electron beam generation studies have been carried out in LIA-400 system through explosive electron emission for various cathode materials. This paper presents the emission properties of different cathode materials at peak diode voltages varying from 10 to 220 kV and at peak current levels from 0.5 to 2.2 kA in a single pulse duration of 160-180 ns. The cathode materials used are graphite, stainless steel, and red polymer velvet. The perveance data calculated from experimental waveforms are compared with 1-D Child Langmuir formula to obtain the cathode plasma expansion velocity for various cathode materials. Various diode parameters are subject to shot to shot variation analysis. Velvet cathode proves to be the best electron emitter because of its lower plasma expansion velocity and least shot to shot variability.

Keywords

cathodes; electron field emission; graphite; relativistic electron beams; stainless steel; cathode materials; cathode plasma expansion velocity; current 0.5 kA to 2.2 kA; electron emitter; explosive emission properties; graphite; lower plasma expansion velocity; peak current levels; peak diode voltages; red polymer velvet; relativistic electron beam generation; stainless steel; time 160 ns to 180 ns; voltage 10 kV to 220 kV; Anodes; Cathodes; Electron beams; Graphite; Impedance; Materials; Plasmas; Electron beam applications; electron beams; electron emission; electron sources; plasma devices; pulse power systems;

fLanguage

English

Journal_Title

Plasma Science, IEEE Transactions on

Publisher

ieee

ISSN

0093-3813

Type

jour

DOI

10.1109/TPS.2014.2356615

Filename

6902813