J. W. Poukey

Backward wave oscillators with rippled wall resonators: Analytic theory and numerical simulation

In this paper, a comprehensive theoretical treatment is developed for backward wave oscillators composed of a relativistic electron beam guided by a strong magnetic field through a slow wave structure consisting of a cylindrical waveguide with a sinusoidally varying wall radius. This analysis, equally applicable to traveling wave tube operation, includes both a linearized theory of small‐amplitude perturbations and numerical simulations of the saturated, large‐amplitude operating regime. The variation of device operating characteristics with system parameters is examined in detail. Comparisons of the analytic and numerical results with experiments and additional calculations show excellent agreement and justify a high degree of confidence in the validity of the theory.

Electron beam focusing and application to pulsed fusion

This paper reviews recent work on the focusing of high-power relativistic electron beams in diodes and discusses concepts for pulsed fusion based on this technology. The physics of high-current relativistic electron beam focusing using plasmas in high-current diodes is studied experimentally and with computer simulation. The physics of the beam interaction with dense targets and the requirements for break-even are briefly discussed.

Measurement of electron energy deposition necessary to form an anode plasma in Ta, Ti, and C for coaxial bremsstrahlung diodes

Measurements are made of surface doses necessary to initiate an anode plasma by electron bombardment of Ta, Ti, and C anodes for coaxial geometries characteristic of high‐power electron‐beam diodes. Measured lower and upper bounds of doses necessary to form an anode plasma are 54±7–139±16 J/g in Ta, 214±23–294±71 J/g in Ti, and 316±33–494±52 J/g in C. Within these bounds, probable values for the threshold are given under specific assumptions. The measurements are consistent with a thermal desorption model for plasma formation.

Ion effects in relativistic diodes

In relativistic diodes, ions are emitted from the anode plasma surface. The space charge of these ions enhances the electron emission. One−dimensional analysis and two−dimensional computer simulation are used to show the necessity of including this effect in any realistic diode theory.

Relativistic Electron Beam Propagation in Low‐Pressure Gases

Experimental results are reported for the transport characteristics of relativistic electron beams in high‐pressure atomic and molecular gases. Experimental results obtained with two different accelerators (ν/γ ∼ 0.05 and 1) are reported. It was found that the highest pressure at which efficient transport occurred was determined by two different physical processes for the two different intensity electron beams. The lower‐intensity beam propagated efficiently throughout a large pressure range, and was attenuated at high pressure by Coulomb scattering of the beam electrons in the screened Coulomb field of the nuclei of the background gas atoms. The more intense electron beam was attenuated at a gas pressure which varied with different gases approximately inversely with the high‐energy ionization cross section. A radial breakdown mechanism is proposed which may explain the loss process of the intense electron beam.

Pencil-like mm-size electron beams produced with linear inductive voltage adders

This paper presents design, analysis, and first results of the high brightness electron beam experiments currently under investigation at Sandia. Anticipated beam parameters are: energy 12 MeV, current 35-40 kA, rms radius 0.5 mm, pulse duration 40 ns FWHM. The accelerator is SABRE, a pulsed LIVA modified to higher impedance, and the electron source is a magnetically immersed foilless electron diode. 20 to 30 Tesla solenoidal magnets are required to insulate the diode and contain the beam to its extremely small sized (1 mm) envelope. These experiments are designed to push the technology to produce the highest possible electron current in a submillimeter radius beam. Design, numercial simulations, and first experimental results are presented.

Production of annular electron beams by foilless diodes

A number of important aspects of the production of annular electron beams by foilless diodes are examined, both theoretically and experimentally. The theories of Ott, Antonsen, and Lovelace (OAL) and Chen and Lovelace (CL) are compared, and the CL theory is extended to include the effect of an axial gap in an approximate fashion. For the case of finite magnetic field strengths, Larmor orbits are examined and radial oscillations of the beam profile are predicted from a beam envelope analysis. Experimental results obtained with both low‐ and high‐impedance sources have been compared with the theory, and based on such studies, the design and construction of an intense hollow beam generator are described. Experimental results obtained with the new diode compare favorably with both the analytic theory and the results of numerical simulations. The device currently produces 2‐MeV electrons at beam currents of 65–70 kA.

Multistage linear electron acceleration using pulsed transmission lines

A four‐stage linear electron accelerator is described which uses pulsed radial transmission lines as the basic accelerating units. An annular electron beam produced by a foilless diode is guided through the accelerator by a strong axial magnetic field. Synchronous firing of the injector and the acccelerating modules is accomplished with self‐breaking oil switches. The device has accelerated beam currents of 25 kA to kinetic energies of 9 MV, with 90% current transport efficiency. The average accelerating gradient is 3 MV/m.

Self-magnetic insulation in vacuum for coaxial geometry

Magnetic insulation obtained by employing the magnetic field of the line current in coaxial vacuum‐transmission lines is studied in experiments on two different relativistic electron‐beam accelerators, spanning the voltage range 0.4–10 MV. Effective magnetic insulation at fields up to 1.3 MV/cm is demonstrated. The self‐limiting impedance is measured and compared to a number of theories for magnetic insulation and it is found that none of the ’’standard’’ theories successfully describes the data. However, computer simulations using a self‐consistent two‐dimensional particle code give good agreement with the experimental data, as does a proposed modification of the parapotential flow model.

Production and postacceleration of intense ion beams in magnetically insulated gaps

Experiments are described pertaining to the development of very high‐current pulsed linear ion accelerators utilizing electron neutralization. A novel magnetically insulated gap using radial magnetic fields has been tested. It provides stable electron cloud confinement over microsecond time scales with no detectable leakage current. The gap can act as an ion injector when used in conjunction with a plasma source. Control of the electron cloud dynamics allows the injector to operate in an enhanced current density mode (10–50 times the Child‐Langmuir limit) with high efficiency and with plasma source control of the current flow. Currents up to 20 kA at 100 kV applied voltage resulted when using a light‐ion flashboard plasma source. Carbon beams were produced by extraction from a flowing plasma from a gun array. A 3‐kA beam with equal fractions of C+ and C++ was extracted over a microsecond time scale with little proton contamination. The use of active plasma injection into the high‐intensity magnetically in...