Physical mechanism of ion entrainment by the electron space charge in acceleration by the gradients of static magnetic and of electromagnetic fields

Abstract

A theory of the physical mechanism of ion entrainment by accelerated electrons is presented. It is shown that under the influence of these fields the electrons describe helixes whose diameter and pitch vary along the axis of motion as a function of the difference between the cyclotron frequency and the frequency of the applied hf field. The space charge thus created accelerates the ions. The coupling between the equations of motion of the electron and ion fluids calls for the introduction of a tensor mass; viz., that of the relativistic mass of the electrons in the two equations in x and y describing the transverse movement of the electrons, and that of the ions in the axial motion equation in z. The physical consequences of this theoretical study are then discussed, and three typical experimental results are given that illustrate three of these consequences.