High Quality E-beam Generation by Advanced Multipurpose Pseudospark Switch

CFD Research Corp. proposes the development of an Advanced Multipurpose Pseudospark Switch (AMPS) e-beam source capable of efficiently generating high average/peak current, bright electron beams. The improvement in e-beam quality (over a classicalpseudospark) stems from the inductive preionization of the hollow cathode chamber, prior to main gap breakdown. The proposed device features similarities to preionization-controlled open-ended hollow cathode transient discharges while retaining the simplegeometry of a common pseudospark. Compared to a classic pseudospark e-beam source of the same size and at the same applied voltage, the AMPS will (1) increase mean electron energy over 90%-100%, (2) have a single peak e-beam current characteristic (3)reduce e-beam emittance at least one order of magnitude, (4) decrease e-beam energy spread, and (5) achieve higher power densities due to a reduced thermal load. All other pseudospark characteristics (high current, rapid current, rise, low jitter, etc.)will be preserved. Consequently, the proposed AMPS e-beam generator will become an enabling technology for compact, transportable directed energy weapons, such as Free-Electron Lasers (FEL) and High Power Microwaves (HPM). The proposed AMPS e-beamgenerator/switch is well suited for a systematic performance and scaling analysis. The AMPS e-beam source can be integrated in a wide range of driver devices for HPMs (e.g. klystrons, magnetrons, reltrons, gas filled plasma tubes, multiwave Cherenkovgenerators, etc.) and FELs and reduce the size and power requirements of subsequent e-beam conditioning stages (e.g. accelerators, beam shaping devices). Other applications of the AMPS e-beam source include generation of x-rays, industrial e-beam materialprocessing, and film deposition. In a