Document Type

Article

Publication Date

5-3-2022

Abstract

article-in-cell simulations of a 1.6 MV, 800 kA, and 50 ns pinched-beam diode have been completed with emphasis placed on the quality of the ion beams produced. Simulations show the formation of multiple regions in the electron beam flow characterized by locally high charge and current density (“hot spots”). As ions flow through the electron-space-charge cloud, these hot spots electrostatically attract ions to produce a non-uniform ion current distribution. The length of the cavity extending beyond the anode-to-cathode gap (i.e., behind the cathode tip) influences both the number and amplitude of hot spots. A longer cavity length increases the number of hot spots yet significantly reduces the amplitude producing a smoother, more uniform ion beam than for shorter cavities. The net current and the ion bending angles are also significantly smaller with long cavities.

Comments

© 2022 Authors(s), published under an exclusive license with American Institute of Physics.

AFIT Scholar, as the repository of the Air Force Institute of Technology, furnishes the published Version of Record for this article in accordance with the sharing policy of the publisher, AIP Publishing. A 12-month embargo was observed.

This article may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the author and AIP Publishing. This article appeared in Physics of Plasmas 29 (5): 053103 as fully cited below and may be found at DOI: 10.1063/5.0089904.

Funding note: Defense Threat Reduction Agency

Source Publication

Physics of Plasmas

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