On the Mechanism of Ion Acceleration by a Relativistic Electron Beam

• Published in: Physics of atomic nuclei Vol. 85; no. 7; pp. 1238 - 1244
• Main Authors: Belozerov, O. S., Dan’ko, S. A., Khromov, S. A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01.12.2022; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analysis; Cathodes; Electrons; Experiments; Foils; Particle and Nuclear Physics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Relativistic electron beams; Vacuum chambers
• ISSN: 1063-7788; 1562-692X
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063778822070158

Despite the long time since the first publications on ion acceleration by an electron beam injected into vacuum chamber, there is still no unambiguous theoretical model. This is explained by the existence of various physical processes and instabilities occurring in the beam–plasma–vacuum region and leading to various interpretations of experiments on ion acceleration. This article presents the results of experiments using a Katran generator ( I ≈ 100–150 kA, U ≈ 250 kV, t ≈ 80 ns), where a thin foil is used as anode, in which it was revealed that two different mechanisms of ion acceleration are associated with two different regions. In a high voltage diode, the acceleration from cathode to anode is initiated by conduction current surges, and another acceleration occurs behind the anode foil toward the virtual cathode. On the basis of well-known theories that explain some features of ion acceleration under conditions close to our experiments and of measurements in these experiments, the most probable physical processes leading to acceleration of ions have been determined.