Total absorption of an electromagnetic wave by an overdense plasma

We show both theoretically and experimentally that an electromagnetic wave can be totally absorbed by an overdense plasma when a subwavelength diffraction grating is placed in front of the plasma surface. The absorption is due to dissipation of surface plasma waves (plasmons polaritons) that have been resonantly excited by the evanescent component of the diffracted electromagnetic wave. The developed theoretical model allows one to determine the conditions for the total absorption.     

Low-energy electron beam source

Experimental results of research into a ferroelectric-plasma-source-assisted hollow anode (HA) discharge as a source of low-energy electron beams are presented. To generate electron beams, the HA auto-bias negative voltage was achieved by the discharge current flowing through the resistor connecting the HA and the grounded electrode. It is shown that this method allows reliable and reproducible generation of low-energy electron beams with electron energy of several hundreds of eV, electron current density up to several A/cm² and pulse duration of several tens of microseconds.     

Peculiarities of the modern neutron spectrometry

Neutron spectrometry provides many branches of science and technology with the necessary data. Usually the main part of the data is supplied by powerful neutron time-of-flight spectrometers. Nevertheless there are many other very effective but simpler and cheaper neutron spectroscopy methods on accelerators, suitable for solution of plenty of scientific and applied problems (for example, in astrophysics and radioactive waste transmutation). The methods of slowing-down spectrometry in lead and graphite, generating of neutron spectra, characteristic for nucleosynthesis in the stars, and neutron spectrometry by means of primary γ-transition shift are discussed in the report.     

Aluminum micro-particles combustion ignited by underwater electrical wire explosion

The results of experiments on the ignition of aluminum micro-particles’ combustion by underwater electrical wire explosion (UEWE) are reported. A compact sub-microsecond timescale duration high-current (240 kA) pulsed power generator was used to explode copper and aluminum wires electrically in different aluminum powder suspensions. The combustion of the aluminum micro-particles was characterized by a target time-of-flight method and optical measurements of the exploding wire and aluminum suspension light emission. It was shown that, by using a proper solution and type of aluminum powder, this method allows aluminum micro-particle combustion in the estimated range of 32–79 % efficiency.     

Application of a ferroelectric plasma cathode as a high-current switch

In this paper the parameters of two types of high-current switches based on ferroelectric BaTiO₃ ignition are presented. Both types of switches showed a reliable and controllable operation with a repetition rate of several Hz. The first type is a vacuum two-electrode switch ignited by the plasma which is generated by a BaTiO₃ cathode. This type of switch was tested in the voltage range of 3-25 kV and switched current amplitude of 2-15 kA with either negative or positive polarity of the high-voltage electrode. The second type is a BaTiO₃ surface flashover strip-like switch ignited by a driving pulse which has an amplitude of several kV. It was shown that the application of the driving pulse (>10 kV) leads to the appearance of many non-complete surface discharges which transform further to a multi-channel discharge. This type of switch was tested in the voltage range of 1-25 kV and current amplitude of 0.5-15 kA. The design of the switches, their lifetime, the time jitter and the parameters of the switched current for different discharge conditions are presented. Received 5 November 2001     

Characteristics of a high-power RF oscillator based on a pulsedhollow-cathode discharge

The characteristics of a very simple high-power pulsed RF oscillator are presented. This oscillator is based on the use of a low-pressure pulsed hollow-cathode discharge during the periods when its cathode sheath becomes unstable. A set of four different oscillators has been studied in different operating regimes for various values of load resistance. These oscillators were tested and found to produce pulsed power of over 100 kW with efficiency exceeding 20% at frequencies up to 50 MHz. The tests were performed with pulse duration of 14 μs and repetition rate up to 100 Hz. Equivalent circuits of the oscillator for RF loading and for DC current are described. The requirements for a power supply to drive the device as well as recommendations for the oscillator usage are presented     

Energetic electron emission from a ferroelectric sample during incomplete surface discharge

In this paper, the results of simplified analytical modeling and particle-in-cell numerical simulations of plasma formation and propagation along the surface of a ferroelectric sample under the application of a negative driving pulse to the rear solid electrode are presented. These models allow one to reproduce the main characteristics of the incomplete discharge. In particular, it is shown that the experimentally observed energetic electrons are related to the secondary emission electron acceleration in the sheath between the plasma and the ferroelectric surface. Also, simulation results show that secondary electron emission significantly decreases the surface plasma density while increasing its propagation velocity and that high desorption rate of the neutrals is required to sustain surface plasma formation.     

Generation of high-current electron beams by a hollow cathode with a ferroelectric plasma source

This paper presents results and analysis of an experimental investigation of the operation of a hollow cathode (HC) with an incorporated ferroelectric plasma source (FPS). It was shown that the use of FPS based on a BaTi solid solution allows one to ignite and to sustain a 10²-10³ A HC discharge with duration of 10^-3-10^-5 s at background pressure of 5 x 10^-3 Pa while keeping the HC design with small dimensions. It was found that the development of the HC discharge is accompanied by formation at the surface of the FPS of dense plasma which serves as a powerful (hundreds of kW) pulsed source of current carrying electrons. Parameters of the HC plasma (radial distribution of the plasma density and temperature and plasma potential) for different discharge current amplitudes and two types of FPS are presented. Application of the FPS as an electron source in a diode under an accelerating pulse 300 kV and pulse duration 400 ns showed that the latter operates in a plasma pre-filled mode with a current amplitude up to 1.6 kA. Parameters of the diode and electron beam for different experimental conditions are presented and discussed.Received: 10 April 2003, Published online: 12 August 2003PACS: 52.50.Dg Plasma sources - 29.25.Bx Electron sources - 52.25.Tx Emission, absorption, and scattering of particles