Relaxationserscheinungen in Elektronenstrahlen

In electron beams with high charge density there are observed anomalous shiftings and broadenings as well as symmetrizations of the energy distribution (Boersch 1954). Continuing former work, where these phenomena were ascribed to a relaxation process changing the energy distribution to a new equilibrium distribution, quantitative expressions are derived for the energy spread and the shape of this new energy distribution. Furthermore a relaxation degree is defined which measures the progress of relaxation. Measurements are described with the highest relaxation degrees reached up to now. In addition to the verification of former results up to these new limits the shape of the measured energy-distributions can be fitted to the derived one with suitable choice of a single parameter. Peculiarities of measurements with superposed axial magnetic fields are discussed.