Plasma Electron Gun Feasibility Experiments

提出了一项研究计划，以确定科学的 一种新型的宽面积（1000平方厘米），高 能量（400 KeV）电子枪概念。 该等离子体 电子（PE）枪使用等离子体，该等离子体在低电压下产生。 气体压力使用细线冷阴极放电，作为 直流电子源。 提取的电子形成 在穿过薄金属箔窗的细光束中， 支撑结构并以最小的损失进入空气中。 的 结果是一种新的，创新的电子枪，预计将 相对于其他枪设计， 包括：（1）更高的电效率（85%）;以及（2） 更高的工作电压（400 kV）;（3）更长的寿命 (10（4）降低成本（$4/W）。 这些 属性对于许多环境和工业 应用. 第一阶段的工作将包括以下三项任务： (1)50 kV PE枪装置的设计和建造;（2） 确定等离子体特性的实验 发生器和（3）电子束的测量 研究损耗机制和光束的特性 一致性 成功完成这些任务将提供 为高电压、高功率实验打下坚实的基础 在第二阶段使用实验室原型PE枪。

A research program is proposed to determine the scientific feasibility of a new type of broad area (1000 cm2), high energy (400 KeV) electron gun concept. This plasma electron (PE) gun uses a plasma, which is generated at low gas pressure using a thin-wire cold-cathode discharge, as the dc source of electrons. The extracted electrons are formed in beamlets which pass through a thin metal foil window, its support structure and into air with minimum losses. The result is a new, innovative electron gun which is expected to offer substantial benefits, relative to other gun designs, including: (1) higher electrical efficiency (85%); and (2) higher operating voltage (400 kV); and (3) longer life (10,000 hours) and (4) lower cost ($4/Watt). These attributes are critical for many environmental and industrial applications. The Phase I effort will consist of the following three tasks: (1) design and construction of a 50 kV PE-gun apparatus; (2) experiments to determine the characteristics of the plasma generator and (3) measurement of the electron beam properties to investigate loss mechanisms and beam uniformity. Successful completion of these tasks will provide a firm foundation for high voltage, high power experiments with a laboratory prototype PE-gun in Phase II.