Suppression of instabilities in the transport of a high-power electron beam in the forevacuum pressure range using low-energy thermionic electrons

Abstract

Abstract We report the results of our study on the effect of injection of low-energy thermionic electrons on the suppression of instabilities of the beam-plasma discharge (BPD) type in a beam plasma during the transport of a powerful continuous electron beam generated by a plasma–cathode electron source in the forevacuum range of pressure. As result of thermionic electron injection, the plasma electron temperature decreased to 0.3 eV and the plasma density decreased by an order of magnitude to 1015 m−3. The minimal thermoelectron current required for suppressing the BPD increases with increasing emission current and decreases with increase of the beam accelerating voltage.