Open AccessRunaway of electrons and initiation of explosive electron emission during pulse breakdown of high-pressure gases
Author(s) -
G. Mesyats,
Н. М. Зубарев
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of physics. conference series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.21
H-Index - 85
eISSN - 1742-6596
pISSN - 1742-6588
DOI - 10.1088/1742-6596/2064/1/012035
Subject(s) - explosive material , electron , ionization , atomic physics , anode , plasma , cathode , materials science , ion , field electron emission , electric discharge in gases , electrode , chemistry , physics , nuclear physics , organic chemistry , quantum mechanics
We propose a scenario of the initiation of explosive electron emission on the boundary of the electrode and a high-pressure gas. According to this scenario, positive ions are formed due to the gas ionization by field-emission electrons and accumulated in the vicinity of protrusions of micron size at the cathode. The distance between the ion cloud and the emitting surface decreases with increasing pressure which results in a growth of the local field. As a consequence, an explosive growth of the emission current density occurs for a dense gas (the gas with the pressure of tens of atm). As a result, explosive-emission centers can be formed in dozens of ps. These centers give a start to plasma channels expanding towards the anode. Runaway electron flow generated near the channel heads ionizes the gas gap, causing its subnanosecond breakdown.