Scaling of Electron Beam Switches

Abstract

Important design parameters of E-beam controlled discharges to be used as switches are the ratio of discharge current to E-beam current (current gain), the discharge current density and the discharge voltage. Measurements of these parameters as a function of E-beam current are presented and compared to theoretical predictions. These measurements also allow extrapolation to higher E-beam or discharge current densities. The influence of added attaching gases is considered also. Gases which have an attachment coefficient rapidly increasing with electric field have been tested. While the basic effect has been verified, the range of electric fields over which it occurs seems to be limited.

Open PDF

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jun 01, 1983
Accession Number
ADA636309

Entities

People

  • Peter Bletzinger

Organizations

  • Wright Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Aeronautical Laboratories
  • Air Force
  • Attachment
  • Barometric Pressure
  • Coefficients
  • Current Density
  • Electric Fields
  • Electrodes
  • Electron Beams
  • Electron Density
  • Electron Emission
  • Electrons
  • Emission
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Pulsed Power
  • Secondary Emission

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Plasma Physics.
  • Pulsed Power and Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Directed Energy
  • Directed Energy - Lasers
  • Microelectronics