A two-component model for the electron distribution function in ahigh-current pseudospark or back-lighted thyratron |
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Authors: | Bauer HR Kirkman G Gundersen MA |
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Institution: | Dept. of Electr. Eng., Univ. of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA; |
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Abstract: | Temperature, energy, and densities of two electron distribution function components, including an isotropic bulk part and an anisotropic beam, are analyzed for a hydrogen pseudospark and/or back-lighted thyratron switch plasma with a peak electron density of 1-3×1015 cm-3 and peak current density of ≈104 A/cm2. Estimates of a very small cathode-fall width during the conduction phase and high electric field strengths lead to the injection of an electron beam with energies ⩾100 eV and density of 1013-1014 cm-3 into a Maxwellian bulk plasma. Collisional and radiative processes of monoenergetic beam electrons, bulk plasma electrons and ions, and atomic hydrogen are modeled by a set of rate equations, and line intensity ratios are compared with measurements. Under these high-current conditions, for an initial density nH2=1016 cm-3 and electron temperature of 0.8-1 eV, the estimated beam density is ≈1013 -1014 cm-3. These results suggest the possibility of producing in a simple way a very high-density electron beam |
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