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Performance evaluation of self-breakdown-based single-gap plasma cathode electron gun

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Abstract

This paper presents the experimental studies on self-breakdown-based single-gap plasma cathode electron (PCE) gun (5–20 kV/50–160 A) in argon, gas atmosphere and its performance evaluation based on particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation code ‘OOPIC-Pro’. The PCE-Gun works in conducting phase (low energy, high current) of pseudospark discharge. It produces intense electron beam, which can propagate more than 200 mm in the drift space region without external magnetic field. The profile of this beam in the drift space region at different breakdown conditions (i.e., gas pressures and applied voltages) has been studied and the experimental results are compared with simulated values. It is demonstrated that ∼30% beam current is lost during the propagation possibly due to space charge neutralization and collisions with neutral particles and walls.

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Acknowledgements

The authors are thankful to Dr Chandra Shekhar, Director, CSIR-CEERI, Pilani, for his help, guidance and support. The authors also wish to acknowledge Miss Pooja Gulati and Mr Dharmendra Pal.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Microwave Tubes Division, CSIR-Central Electronics and Engineering Research Institute, Pilani, 333 031, India

    NIRAJ KUMAR, NALINI PAREEK, UDIT NARAYAN PAL, DEEPAK KUMAR VERMA, JITENDRA PRAJAPATI, MAHESH KUMAR, BHARAT LAL MEENA & RAM PRAKASH

  2. Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), New Delhi, India

    NIRAJ KUMAR, NALINI PAREEK, UDIT NARAYAN PAL & RAM PRAKASH

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  1. NIRAJ KUMAR
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  2. NALINI PAREEK
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  3. UDIT NARAYAN PAL
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  4. DEEPAK KUMAR VERMA
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  5. JITENDRA PRAJAPATI
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  6. MAHESH KUMAR
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  7. BHARAT LAL MEENA
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  8. RAM PRAKASH
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Correspondence to NIRAJ KUMAR.

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KUMAR, N., PAREEK, N., PAL, U.N. et al. Performance evaluation of self-breakdown-based single-gap plasma cathode electron gun. Pramana - J Phys 82, 1075–1084 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12043-014-0752-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12043-014-0752-3

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