Plasma Studies in Ion Diodes.
Abstract
An experimental study of cathode plasmas in planar diodes driven by a Sandia Nereus accelerator (270 kV, 60 kA, 70 ns), with particular attention devoted to plasma uniformity and expansion velocity, has been carried out. The diode current density was varied over a factor of ten and the rate of rise dE/dt of the applied field was varied over a factor of six. Different cathode materials, coatings, and surface roughnesses were used and the effects of glow discharge cleaning and in situ heating were examined. Framing photography, electron beam dosimetry, perveance measurements, optical interferometry, and (spatially and temporally resolved) spectroscopy were used to diagnose the plasma uniformity, electron beam uniformity, plasma front motion, electron density, plasma composition, motion of distinct species, electron temperature, and ion (and neutral) densities.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Sep 01, 1984
- Accession Number
- ADA147917
Entities
People
- G. Bekefi
Organizations
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology