Magnetic focusing of an intense microsecond relativistic electron beam

Abstract

Experimental results are presented on the focusing of an intense microsecond relativistic electron beam. The beam is generated in a high-voltage quasi-planar diode (E = 600–800 keV, τ = 3–5 μsec). It is then magnetically – focused by longitudinal injection into a magnetic mirror. The total energy of the beam is about 50 kJ. The focusing chamber is filled with argon under a pressure varying from 3 × 10−5 to 1 torr. The results include investigations of beam focusing under various conditions, the dynamics of the return current in the plasma as well as the influence of the reflected beam electrons on the operation of the accelerator diode. A 20-fold focused beam with a 4 cm diameter, 46 kJ energy content, and current density up to 3 kA/cm2 was obtained.