Propagation of the pulsed electron beam of nanosecond duration in gas composition of high pressure

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the investigation of the propagation of an electron beam in the high-pressure gas compositions (50, 300, and 760 Torr): sulfur hexafluoride and hydrogen, sulfur hexafluoride and nitrogen, sulfur hexafluoride and argon. The experiments have been performed using the TEA-500 laboratory accelerator. The main parameters of the accelerator are as follows: an accelerating voltage of 500 kV; an electron beam current of 10 kA; a pulse width at half maximum of 60 ns; a pulse energy of 200 J; a pulse repetition rate of up to 5 pulses per second, a beam diameter of 5 cm. The pulsed electron beam was injected into a 55 cm metal drift tube. The drift tube is equipped with three reverse-current shunts with simultaneous detecting of signals. The obtained results of the investigation make it possible to conclude that the picture of the processes occurring in the interaction of an electron beam in the high-pressure gas compositions is different from that observed in the propagation of the electron beam in the low-pressure gas compositions (1 Torr).