DEVICE FOR GENERATING PULSED BEAMS OF HIGH-SPEED ELECTRONS IN AIR GAP AT ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE

摘要

FIELD: physics.;SUBSTANCE: device for generating pulsed beams of high-speed electrons (electrons with energy ranging from several tens of keV to several hundreds with large density of up to tens of A/cm²) in a gas-filled gap at atmospheric pressure. The device is a gas-filled diode at atmospheric pressure. The anode is in form of a thin metal foil attached to an earthed metallic cylinder which is the housing of the discharge chamber, and the cathode is in form of a solid cylinder with a flat emitting surface. Around the entire lateral surface of the cathode, and also covering part of the discharge gap, there is a cylindrical quartz pipe which has a rigid mechanical contact with the cathode. Pulsed voltage from a pulsed voltage source is applied across the diode. Under the effect of the voltage between the cathode and the anode, emission of electrons from the cathode begins. Some of the electrons acquire energy sufficient for entering continuous acceleration mode and form a pulsed electron beam which comes out of the discharge chamber through the anode. The cylindrical quartz pipe prevents electrons from reaching walls of the discharge chamber.;EFFECT: aligning lines of electric force along the cathode-anode axis, which reduces divergence of the electron beam while increasing its density.;2 dwg