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Relativistic electron beam source with uniform high-density emitters by pulsed power generators

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 April 2009

Limin Li ,
Lie Liu ,
Qifu Xu ,
Guoxin Chen ,
Lei Chang ,
Hong Wan  and
Jianchun Wen
Limin Li*
Affiliation:
College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
Lie Liu
Affiliation:
College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
Qifu Xu
Affiliation:
College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
Guoxin Chen
Affiliation:
College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
Lei Chang
Affiliation:
College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
Hong Wan
Affiliation:
Department of Material Engineering and Applied Chemistry, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
Jianchun Wen
Affiliation:
College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, People's Republic of China
*
Address correspondence and reprint requests to: Limin Li, College of Photoelectric Science and Engineering, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha 410073, People's Republic of China. E-mail: newages1979@yahoo.com.cn
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Abstract

The remaining challenges, confronting high-power microwave sources and pulsed power technology, stimulate the development of robust relativistic electron beam sources. This paper presents a carbon-fiber-aluminum cathode with high-density uniform emitters, which was tested in a single pulsed power generator (~450 kV, ~350 ns, ~50 Ω) and a repetitive one (350 kV, <10 ns, 150 Ω, and 100 Hz). The distribution and development of the cathode plasma was observed by time-and-space resolved diagnostics, and the uniformity of electron beam density was checked by taking x-ray images. A quasi-stationary behavior of the cathode plasma expansion was observed. It was found that the uniformity of the extracted electron beam is satisfactory in spite of individual plasma jets on the cathode surface. Under repetitively pulsed operation, this cathode exhibited a good shot-to-shot reproducibility even in poor vacuum. This new class of plasma cathodes offers a promising prospect of developing relativistic electron beam sources.

Keywords

Plasma cathodePulsed power generatorRelativistic electron beamX-ray
Type
Research Article
Information
Laser and Particle Beams , Volume 27 , Issue 2 , June 2009 , pp. 335 - 344
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2009

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