High-current electron beam generation by a metal–ceramic cathode

Abstract

We present results of the investigation of a metal–ceramic cathode suitable for technological applications. The cathode was tested in electron diodes powered by two different high-voltage generators (500 kV, 50 ns, 300 Ω, ⩽200 Hz and 300 kV, 250 ns, 84 Ω, ⩽5 Hz). The metal–ceramic cathode which was made in a form of a disk was composed of TiO2 ceramics with stainless steel spherical particles uniformly inserted inside. It was shown that already at relatively low accelerating fields (E⩽5 kV/cm) fast cathode plasma formation occurs as a result of surface flashover. This surface flashover is initiated in triple points located in micropores which were formed during the process of cathode preparation due to the different thermal expansion coefficients of the ceramic and the metal. Experimental data concerning the uniformity of the light emission from the cathode surface and inside the anode–cathode gap and divergence of the generated electron beams are presented. Also, it is shown that the uniformity of the generated electron beam depends strongly on the duration of the accelerating pulse.