On the mechanism of the runaway of electrons in a gas: The upper branch of the paschen curve

Basing on the simulation results, it is shown that the Townsend mechanism of electron multiplication in a gas at sufficiently large interelectrode distances is valid at least up to such large values of E/p at which relativistic electrons are generated. Correspondingly, the runaway electron producing in a gas is determined not by the local criteria accepted presently, but by the ratio of interelectrode distance and the characteristic electron multiplication length. It is shown that the critical discharge voltage U, at which the runaway electrons appear in a given gas, is a function of the product of the interelectrode distance by the gas pressure. This function (U-pd dependence) defines not only well-known Paschen curve but also an additional branch, which describes the absence of a self-sustained discharge at a high voltages sufficiently rapidly supplied across the electrodes. Critical discharge voltage dependence for helium and xenon are presented.     

The effect of concentration of <Emphasis Type="Bold">H</Emphasis> <Subscript> <Emphasis Type="Bold">2</Emphasis> </Subscript> physisorption on the current–voltage characteristic of armchair BN nanotubes in CNT–BNNT–CNT set

In this research, we have studied physisorption of hydrogen molecules on armchair boron nitride (BN) nanotube (3,3) using density functional methods and its effect on the current–voltage (I–V) characteristic of the nanotube as a function of concentration using Green’s function techniques. The adsorption geometries and energies, charge transfer and electron transport are calculated. It is found that H₂ physisorption can suppress the I–V characteristic of the BN nanotube, but it has no effect on the band gap of the nanotube. As the H₂ concentration increases, under the same applied bias voltage, the current through the BN nanotube first increases and then begins to decline. The current–voltage characteristic indicates that H₂ molecules can be detected by a BN-based sensor.     

An influence of the electrode emission properties and the gas temperature on the discharge ignition voltage in the mixture of argon with mercury vapor

Kinetics of electrons, ions and metastable excited atoms in the interelectrode gap of a low-current discharge in the argon-mercury mixture is simulated, and the discharge ignition voltage as a function of the temperature and the cathode ion-electron secondary emission rate is calculated. The mixture temperature dependence of the minimum value of the ion-electron secondary emission rate ensuring a given discharge ignition voltage is found.     

Runaway of electrons in dense gases and mechanism of generation of high-power subnanosecond beams

New understanding of mechanism of the runaway electrons beam generation in gases is presented. It is shown that the Townsend mechanism of the avalanche electron multiplication is valid even for the strong electric fields when the electron ionization friction on gas may be neglected. A non-local criterion for a runaway electron generation is proposed. This criterion results in the universal two-valued dependence of critical voltage U _cr on pd for a certain gas (p is a pressure, d is an interelectrode distance). This dependence subdivides a plane (U _cr , pd) onto the area of the efficient electron multiplication and the area where the electrons leave the gas gap without multiplication. On the basis of this dependence analogs of Paschen’s curves are constructed, which contain an additional new upper branch. This brunch demarcates the area of discharge and the area of e-beam. The mechanism of the formation of the recently created atomospheric pressure subnanosecond e-beams is discussed. It is shown that the beam of the runaway electrons is formed at an instant when the plasma of the discharge gap approaches to the runaway electrons is formed at an instant when the plasma of the discharge gap approaches to the anode. In this case a basic pulse of the electron beam is formed according to the non-local criterion of the runaway electrons generation. The role of the discharge gap preionization by the fast electrons, emitted from the plasma non-uniformities on the cathode, as well as a propagation of an electron multiplication wave from cathode to anode in a dense gas are considered.     

Electric field enhancement in field-emission cathodes based on carbon nanotubes

The problem of determining the field enhancement factor in field-emission cathodes based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is considered. The electrostatic problem of finding the field enhancement factor for nanotubes with different shapes of the tip as a function of the angle the nanotube makes with the cathode surface and of the interelectrode spacing is solved. The dependence of the electric field enhancement factor on the spacing between vertically oriented nanotubes constituting an array is derived. Making allowance for this dependence gives an optimal value of the surface density of nanotubes in the array at which the emission current density is maximal. The I—V characteristic of CNT-based cathodes is studied with regard to the statistical straggling of their orientation angles. This I—V characteristic is compared with the characteristic obtained with regard to the statistical straggling of the CNT geometrical parameters.     

太赫兹源场致发射电子源

通过粒子模拟(PIC)软件模拟计算了在ps级别下二极与三极结构碳纳米管场致发射的电流密度与电子注聚焦性能。阳极电压在2 kV时,二极结构下电流密度达到1.85 A/cm2;三极结构下,栅压700 V时发射电流密度达到2.3 A/cm2,且在一定的三极结构参数与电极电压下,可以获得较好的电子注聚束效果。通过碳纳米管二极管发射实验,获得了6.6 A/cm2的发射电流密度,总发射电流达到52.1 mA,可以为太赫兹器件提供连续发射的电子注。     

Modeling of impedance collapse in high-voltage diodes

Electron-beam diodes driven by fast-rising, high-voltage pulses often operate with cold cathodes for which the presence of a plasma adjacent to the cathode surface is essential to obtain adequate electron emission. A consequence of such surface plasma, however, is closure of the interelectrode gap by plasma motion. Resistive heating of the plasma competes with work performed in expanding the plasma and heat transfer to the cold-cathode boundary. The resulting closure speed is calculated, using an MHD code, and found to agree well with results of experiments using organic-cloth cathodes at 35 kV. Computed plasma speeds are typically 8-12 km/s, and are relatively insensitive to the applied voltage. Gap closure due to the plasma motion calculated numerically corresponds to estimates based on impedance collapse in the experiments     

碳纳米管阴极强流脉冲发射放气特性研究

为了研究碳纳米管(CNT)阴极强流脉冲发射特性, 在2MeV直线感应加速器(LIA)注入器平台上开展了阴极放气特性实验. 研究结果表明：碳纳米管阴极强流发射时伴随有严重的阴极放气, 阴极放气参与形成阴极等离子体. 对于特定的几次实验, 通过数值积分估算了阴极材料的放气量为0.8—1.12Pa·L, 释放的气体分子数目与电子数目之比为254—203, 说明阴极等离子体为弱电离等离子体. 分析了二极管电压、发射电流密度、放气量以及放气分子数目/电子数目之间的关系     

Effect of thermal motion of residual gas molecules on the degradation of the field emission cathode based on carbon nanotubes

The rate of degradation of carbon nanotubes in an electron field emission cathode is calculated taking into account thermal motion of the residual gas atoms. As the degradation mechanism, we consider the sputtering of the surface of carbon nanotubes by ions formed as a result of ionization of residual gas molecules by electron impacts. It is shown that the allowance for the initial thermal motion of atoms, the ionization of which is a source of ions, considerably reduces the degradation rate as compared to the results of approximate calculations based on the assumption of motionless atoms.     

Influence of the electric field on the alignment of carbon nanotubes during their growth and emission

The problems of the electric field action on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) during their growth and under the electron field emission conditions are considered. The relations determining the growth rate of an extended structure under the action of the electric field are established. The relation connecting the angle of orientation of a CNT inclined to the substrate surface and the applied electric field is used for computing current-voltage characteristics of the cathode consisting of inclined CNTs. The degree of deviation of these characteristics from the Fowler-Nordheim classic dependence is determined, on the one hand, by the parameters characterizing the CNT spread over the angles of inclination and, on the other hand, by the value of the Young modulus characterizing the bending stiffness of a nanotube. It is shown that in zero external electric field, a certain effect on the CNT orientation can be produced by the CNT potential relative to the substrate, which is due to the effect of the contact potential difference.     

Evaluations of carbon nanotube field emitters for electron microscopy

Brightness of carbon nanotube (CNT) emitters was already reported elsewhere. However, brightness of electron emitter is affected by a virtual source size of the emitter, which strongly depends on electron optical configuration around the emitter. In this work, I-V characteristics and brightness of a CNT emitter are measured under a practical field emission electron gun (e-gun) configuration to investigate availability of CNT for electron microscopy. As a result, it is obtained that an emission area of MWNT is smaller than its tip surface area, and the emission area corresponds to a five-membered-ring with 2nd nearest six-membered-rings on the MWNT cap surface. Reduced brightness of MWNT is measured as at least 2.6×10⁹ A/m² sr V. It is concluded that even a thick MWNT has enough brightness under a practical e-gun electrode configuration and suitable for electron microscopy.     

Nitric acid-stabilized superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles studied with X-rays

Using density functional theory, we systematically investigate the adsorption geometries and electrical properties of (3,3) carbon nanotube (CNT) integrated on hydrogen-terminated Si(001):1?×?1 surface. Prior to adsorption of the CNT, the surface is patterned in two different ways by desorbing selective hydrogen atoms from the surface. The (3,3) CNT which is metallic in nature becomes semiconducting with a band gap around the fermi level when it is supported on patterned hydrogen-terminated Si(001):1?×?1 surface. However, the band gap is reduced when a transverse electric field is applied, allowing the (3,3) CNT on the patterned hydrogen-terminated Si(001):1?×?1 to become metallic at a critical field strength. The tuning of electrical properties of the (3,3) CNT integrated with Si surface may have potential technological applications.     

Decrease in the static electric gas breakdown voltage in the presence of free electrons in a discharge gap

The dependence of the gas breakdown voltage U _B on the anode-cathode spacing d, pressure p, and other gas characteristics in the presence of a steady external ionizer in the discharge gap was determined within the avalanche discharge theory. The case was considered where the spatial charge created by the external ionizer did not distort the electric field in the discharge gap. In the absence of external ionizer the obtained dependence comes down to the well-known expression for the gas breakdown voltage (the Paschen law).     

Surface adhesion between hexagonal boron nitride nanotubes and silicon based on lateral force microscopy

This study presents the surface adhesion between hexagonal boron nitride nanotube (BNNT) and silicon based on lateral manipulation in an atomic force microscope (AFM). The BNNT was mechanically manipulated by the lateral force of an AFM pyramidal silicon probe using the scan mechanism in the imaging mode. With a controlled normal force of the AFM probe and the lateral motion, the lateral force applied to the BNNT could overcome the surface adhesion between BNNT and silicon surface. The individual BNNT is forced to slide and rotate on the silicon surface. Based on the recorded force curve, the calculated shear stress due to surface adhesion is 0.5 GPa. And the specific sliding energy loss is 0.2 J/m². Comparing BNNTs and carbon nanotube (CNT), the shear stress and specific sliding energy loss of BNNT are an order of magnitude larger than that of CNT. Therefore, the results show that the surface adhesion between BNNT and silicon surface is higher than that of CNT.     

碳纳米管薄膜场蒸发效应

在超高真空系统中对基于丝网印刷方法制备的碳纳米管薄膜的场蒸发效应进行实验研究. 实验发现, 碳纳米管薄膜样品存在场蒸发现象, 蒸发阈值场在10.0-12.6 V/nm之间, 蒸发离子流可以达到百皮安量级; 扫描电子显微镜分析和场致电子发射测量结果表明, 场蒸发会使碳纳米管分布变得更加不均匀, 会导致薄膜的场致电子发射开启电压上升(240→300V)、场增强因子下降(8300→4200)、蒸发阈值场上升(10→12.6V/nm), 同时使得薄膜场致电子发射的可重复性明显变好. 场蒸发也是薄膜自身电场一致性修复的表现, 这种修复并非表现在形貌上, 而是不同区域场增强因子之间的差距会越来越小, 这样薄膜场致电子发射的可重复性和稳定性自然会得到改善.     

Sn/carbon nanotube composite anode with improved cycle performance for lithium-ion battery

Anode material for lithium-ion battery based on Sn/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite is synthesized via a chemical reduction method. The Sn/CNT composite is characterized by thermogravimetry, X-ray diffraction, and transition electron microscopy. The Sn/CNT composite delivers high initial reversible capacity of 630.5 mAh g^?1 and exhibits stable cycling performance with a reversible capacity of 413 mAh g^?1 at the 100th cycle. The enhanced electrochemical performance of the Sn/CNT composite could be mainly attributed to the well dispersion of Sn nanoparticles on CNT and partially filling Sn nanoparticles inside the CNT. It is proposed that the chemical treatment of CNT with concentrated nitric acid, which cuts carbon nanotube into short pieces and increases the amount of oxygen-functional groups on the surface, plays an important role in the anchoring of Sn nanoparticles on carbon nanotube and inhibiting the agglomeration of Sn nanoparticles during the charge–discharge process.     

碳纳米管阴极强流脉冲发射特性实验

 在2 MeV直线感应加速器注入器平台上研究了采用浸渍涂覆方法制备的大面积碳纳米管阴极发射体的强流发射特性。研究结果表明：在脉冲高压电场下,碳纳米管阴极具有强流电子束发射能力,发射电流密度较大;碳纳米管阴极发射电子过程为场致等离子体发射。实验过程中,阴极端取样电阻环收集到的最大发射电流达350 A,阳极端法拉第筒收集的发射电流为167 A,最大阴极发射电流密度为19.4 A/cm²。     

Field emission of carbon nanotube array with normal-gate cold cathode

A hexagon pitch carbon nanotube (CNT) array vertical to the normal gate of cold cathode field emission displayer (FED) is simulated by solving the Laplace equation. The calculated results show that the normal gate causes the electric field around the CNT tops to be concentrated and emission electron beam become a column. The field enhancement factor and the emission current intensity step up greatly compared with those of diode structure. Emission current density increases rapidly with the decrease of normal-gate aperture. The gate voltage exerts a critical influence on the emission current.     

Conductance of a single-wall carbon nanotube in a one-parameter tight-binding model

The dependence of current-voltage characteristics of single-wall nanotubes on their radius and chirality is studied theoretically. It is shown that the conductance of a single-wall nanotube at low voltages can assume discrete values equal to zero for a dielectric tube and 4(e²/h) for a conducting tube (e is the electron charge, h is the Planck constant). The current-voltage characteristic of a nanotube exhibits kinks related to the discreteness of the electron spectrum. The behavior of the conductance of the nanotube at zero temperature is analyzed in a quantizing longitudinal magnetic field that changes the type of tube conduction. In a magnetic field, the conductance of a dielectric tube at low voltages can assume a value of 2(e²/h) in the region where the tube becomes conducting. In a weak magnetic field, a conducting tube becomes dielectric with an energy gap depending on the magnitude of the magnetic field. The conductance of a carbon nanotube is calculated as a function of the temperature and longitudinal magnetic field.