Study of the emission properties of a W-Cs3Sb field-emission cathode

A new field-emission cathode based on the W-Cs₂Sb metal-semiconductor system is produced. The emission current of this cathode is one and one-half orders of magnitude higher than that of a tungsten cathode, and the FWHM of the energy spectrum is about 0.3 eV. An energy model of the given emitter is proposed. Using it, one can obtain theoretical values of the main cathode parameters which are in good agreement with the experimental ones.     

Cathodic initiation of breakdown in vacuum under a constant voltage

Cathodic initiation is proposed as a model of breakdown under vacuum, such a breakdown assumed here to be due to cathode heating and disintegration as a result of a spontaneous thermal emission current with a high density. An emitter is considered here in the shape of a cylindrical or conical stub with the height H and, on the basis of its heat balance, sufficiently simple and convenient-to-use formulas are derived which relate the critical electric field intensity E_k with the thermophysical as well as the geometrical parameters of such an emitter. Known test values of E_k are then used for determining the heights and the maximum temperatures of such stubs at which a stable emitter performance is still possible.     

Experimental and numerical investigation of the emission properties of a cathode with a W-Cs3Sb coating

A new cold cathode with a W-Cs₃Sb coating is developed, the emission current of which is one and a half orders of magnitude higher than that of a pure tungsten cathode, while the half-width of the energy spectrum is on the order of 0.3 eV. A theoretical model of the emitter is proposed allowing the main characteristics of the cathode to be calculated. The results are in good agreement with those of the experiment.     

Improvement of the efficiency of a glow discharge-based ion emitter with oscillating electrons

Ion emission from the plasma of a low-pressure (≈5×10⁻² Pa) glow discharge with electrons oscillating in a weak (≈1 mT) magnetic field is studied in relation to the cold hollow cathode geometry. A hollow conic cathode used in the electrode system of a cylindrical inverted magnetron not only improves the extraction of plasma ions to ≈20% of the discharge current but also provides the near-uniform spatial distribution of the ion emission current density. The reason is the specific oscillations of electrons accelerated in the cathode sheath. They drift in the azimuth direction along a closed orbit and simultaneously move along the magnetic field toward the emitting surface of the plasma. A plasma emitter with a current density of ≈1 mA/cm² over an area of ≈100 cm² designed for an ion source with an operating voltage of several tens of kilovolts is described.     

回旋行波管低加热功率阴极的研究

为降低回旋行波管阴极的加热功率,采用支持筒切缝和支持筒外加热屏的阴极结构,运用ANSYS有限元软件对该结构的切缝数目和切缝深度进行优化计算,并分析切缝和加热屏对阴极发射带温度分布的影响;给出了阴极发射带温度和切缝数目、切缝深度的关系。在发射带同等温度条件下,对比优化结构和原结构的加热功率。结果表明,改进后的结构使得加热功率下降了约40%, 大大降低了阴极的加热功率,为高性能回旋行波管热阴极的研制提供了一定的参考。     

回旋行波管电子枪阴极热分析

使用有限元分析软件ANSYS对回旋行波管电子枪阴极进行了热分析和形变分析,得到了阴极模型的温度分布和热形变。为了保持阴极发射带表面温度的均匀性,增大了发射带下端与导热介质的接触面积,同时减小了发射带上端处的加热线圈个数,发现温度差由原来的18 ℃减小到了0.9 ℃。在热分析的基础上进行了热形变分析,将形变量结果带入EGUN软件验证,发现电子注的速度比增大,横向、纵向速度零散以及引导中心半径也都有所增加。     

Development of a barium-free high-temperature cesium Tacitron

A barium-free, high-temperature, cesium Tacitron has been developed using a platinum, hollow cathode, emitter. The hollow cathode emitter used in our investigation is designed to enhance the current emission of a Tacitron cathode without the use of barium in the switch. In a barium-cesium Tacitron, the barium is known to cover the surface of a molybdenum emitter lowering its work function. The barium however limits the lifetime of the Tacitron, unless sophisticated seal technology is used in the manufacture of the Tacitron. The hollow cathode emitter was operated at current densities from 2.5 A/cm² up to 7.0 A/cm². Continuous operation of the Tacitron was demonstrated at 100-150 V and repetition rates of up to 5.8 kHz with measured voltage drops of 3.5-9.0 V. The results of the experimental characterization are compared to the computer model, and the applicability of this unique Tacitron design is discussed     

Effect of the expanding explosive-emission centers plasma on theimpedance of a high-current diode

Formulas for the space-charge-limited electron current in a planar diode with a small hemispherical or hemi-cylindrical plasma emitter have been obtained theoretically and by a numerical simulation. For a periodic cathode structure of hemispherical emitters, an approximate expression for current is derived. Based on these results, the increase in current with time in high current explosive-emission diodes is explained. A condition has been found under which the expanding cathode plasma has no effect on the diode impedance. This is related to the electric field pressure on the cathode. A configuration of the cathode surface has been proposed which provides realization of this condition     

端窗透射微型X光管的结构优化

为了得到场约束方式下,金属陶瓷封装端窗透射微型X光管发射电流的最大化和焦斑尺寸的最小化,对热阴极发射体的几何结构进行仿真计算,为设计实物模型提供技术方案。首先,从理论上推导了直热式阴极发射体、发射电流密度与几何结构的关系,其次讨论了有限积分算法在求解电场分布数值解过程中的离散化思路,最后利用CST粒子工作室软件,建立了几何模型,对阴极发射体的几何结构进行了优化。在灯丝距离控制极0.4 mm、控制极开孔直径为0.6 mm的位置,能够得到较小的焦斑和较高的电荷密度分布。试制的阴极发射体最大发射电流可达85 A。     

Optogalvanic Effects in a Hollow Cathode Discharge at Irradiation with its Original Spectrum

An evaluation is made and some experiments are carried out which prove the possibility of optogalvanic effect appearing in experiments using hollow cathode discharge not only when one hollow cathode discharge is irradiated by another but also in the simplest possibly experimental scheme where only one hollow cathode discharge plays simultaneously the role of an emitter and an irradiator.     

Pulse properties of an electronic emitter with a plasma limited by a boundary ionic layer

Results of the investigation of the pulse control of an electronic emitter with a plasma limited to a boundary ionic layer are presented. The control of the emitter current was realized by modulating the plasma area by means of varying the extent of the ionic layer in the emission channel. It is shown that the time for the formation of the front and trailing edge of the current pulse depends on the time for establishing a stationary distribution of ions in the boundary layer. For an electronic emitter, based on a reflective discharge with a field cathode, this time is of about 10^–8 sec. The experimental setup is described, and the results obtained in the pulse control of an emitter current through modulation of the emission area are presented.Institute of Automated Control Systems and Radioelectronics, Tomsk. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 28–33, May, 1992.     

强流离子源新型LaMo阴极实验研究

对从美国购进的强流离子源新型LaMo阴极的发射特性以及用于强流离子源阴极的放电性能进行了测试.实验结果表明了LaMo阴极是一种有效的热阴极发射体,且该阴极用于强流离子源时,离子源工作稳定,放电起弧正常,使用寿命大大延长(相对于LaB₆阴极).从实际应用来看,LaMo阴极确是强流离子源的一种有效的新型阴极.     

Thermionic Cathode Electron Gun for High Current Densities

An electron gun using lanthanum hexaboride (LaB6) as a cathode material is being studied for use as a robust thermionic emitter at high cathode current densities. It has a standard planar cathode, Pierce-type electron gun design with a space-charge-limited perveance of 3.2 × 10-6 A/V3/2. Thus far it has been operated up to 36 kV in the space-charge-limited regime. The cathode is heated by electron bombardment and radiation from an auxiliary tungsten filament. The total heating requirement is found to be 202 W/cm2 of cathode area at a cathode temperature of 1626°C. These observations are found to be in reasonable agreement with a thermal steady-state power balance model. Beam current distribution measurements are made with a movable collector and Faraday cup, and are found to be in agreement with an electron-gun computer code. The cathode temperature distribution is also measured.     

From Field Emission to Vacuum Arc Ignition: A New Tool for Simulating Copper Vacuum Arcs

Understanding plasma initiation in vacuum arc discharges can help to bridge the gap between nano‐scale triggering phenomena and the macroscopic surface damage caused by vacuum arcs. We present a new twodimensional particle‐in‐cell tool to simulate plasma initiation in direct‐current (DC) copper vacuum arc discharges starting from a single, strong field emitter at the cathode. Our simulations describe in detail how a sub‐micron field emission site can evolve to a macroscopic vacuum arc discharge, and provide a possible explanation for why and how cathode spots can spread on the cathode surface. Furthermore, the model provides us with a prediction for the current and voltage characteristics, as well as for properties of the plasma like densities, fluxes and electric potentials in a simple DC discharge case, which are in agreement with the known experimental values. (© 2015 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Electron sources with a plasma emitter based on discharge reflection with a hollow cathode

An examination is made of the physical processes in electron sources with plasma emitter based on discharge reflection with a hollow cathode. The mechanisms of ionization of the gas in the cavity are studied theoretically. Calculations are made of the plasma parameters in the intercathode discharge space, taking into account features of the particle motion in the crossed electric and magnetic fields. It is shown that the emission canal has an important effect on the source characteristics. An analysis is made of the features of primary shaping of the beam. Experience in the practical application of the electron sources is described.Tomsk Institute of Automatic Control Systems and Radioelectronics. Translated from Izvestiya Vysshikh Uchebnykh Zavedenii, Fizika, No. 5, pp. 5–23, May, 1992.     

Surface reconstruction of a field electron emitter

The surface and emission images of a metal field’s electron cathode in the form of a tip are simulated. The surface structure is calculated in the thin-shell and broken-bond (local-environment) models for the perfect crystal lattice. The cathode shape and macroscopic electric field are represented by the sphere-on-cone model. The amplification of a local electric field is the adjustable parameter of the model. The method of determination of the emitter tip’s crystal faces based on the analysis of the surface atoms’ environment geometry is proposed. It is shown that it is enough to restrict the consideration of geometric environment by the fifth order of the nearest neighbors for the emitter radius of 100–1000 lattice parameters (31.6–316 nm for the tungsten). The crystallographic model of work function anisotropy in the broken-bond approach is used: the local work function’s value is set in accordance with Miller indices of the face containing this area. The model adequacy is corroborated by the comparison of current-voltage characteristics and emission images with the data of the natural experiment.     

TWO-DIMENSIONAL NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF LOW FREQUENCY OSCILLATIONS OF SPACE CHARGE AND POTENTIAL IN THE GYROTRON ADIABATIC TRAP

The development of oscillations of the space charge and potential in the adiabatic trap of a gyrotron between the cathode and the cavity is studied numerically. The PIC method is applied, with the real two-dimensional distributions of the electric and magnetic fields taken into account. Secondary emission is included into the numerical model, as well as such factors as the electron beam space charge, thermal velocities of electrons, and emitter roughness. The value of the trapped space charge as a function of time is calculated. Time dependences of the potential in various cross-sections of the formation system are traced. The amplitudes of its variable component have been found and then the corresponding frequency spectra have been calculated. The process of cathode bombardment is investigated. The energy distribution and time dependence of the current in the electron beam coming to the operating space are found. Some ways to reduce the oscillations of the potential and the space charge are discussed.     

离子推力器空心阴极热特性模拟分析

对离子推力器空心阴极进行了热分析。利用ANSYS有限元软件对阴极罩开启/闭合状态下的空心阴极热启动过程和达到稳态工作时温度场分布进行了模拟,结果表明稳态工作时空心阴极内部能量主要损耗在热阻丝和阴极顶部分,并且阴极罩及热屏是降低空心阴极温度损耗提高其热效率的关键部件,采用阴极罩及热屏后使得空心阴极的总体温度值提升了2.3%~13.2%,其中发射体温度提升2.3%~4.2%,热实验得出的实验数据与模拟结果基本一致,研究结果对空心阴极的优化设计提供参考。     

Field emission pressure sensors with non-silicon membranes

We report on the fabrication of cold cathode emitter and the design parameter simulation of a functional field emission-based pressure sensor. This device comprises a membrane made of metallic compound acting as the anode in front of a flat cold cathode emitter. First, the mechanical deflection of a diaphragm under selected input pressures is modeled. The current density distribution in the deflected diaphragm is then calculated using realistic field emission characteristics from fabricated sulfur doped boron nitride (S-BN) cold cathode device. The total current output was found by integrating the measured current density of the fabricated electron emitter device over the entire diaphragm area of the membrane as function of external pressure. The results show that conventional silicon membranes would pose problems when implemented in a real field emission device, and show how the use of unconventional materials (i.e., TiN) can help overcome these problems.     

Field emission performances of CNTs bundles array

The field emission performances of normal-gate cold cathode, which is composed of different multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) bundles array are calculated. The device parameters such as the arrangement of bundles, array density, gate location, gate voltage, anode voltages and anode–cathode distance affect the field emission properties, which is discussed in detail. The results reveal that the hexagon bundles array needs a lower threshold voltage than square array to reach high field enhancement factor and large emission current density. The emission current density is two orders larger than that of the oxide emitter. The optimal bundles array densities of hexagon and square array to get field enhancement factor are 0.0063 and 0.00375 μm⁻², respectively. Meanwhile, the field emission performances are impacted critically by gate location and gate voltage. Field emission properties changed little while the anode–cathode distance varies within tens of micrometers, which increases the process-friendliness of CNTs field emission devices.