Drastic changes in the plasma potential inside a hollow anode during an applied accelerating pulse

Abstract

We present results which show drastic changes in the parameters of a hollow anode (HA) which serves as a cathode in an electron diode. The HA has a ferroelectric plasma source (FPS) incorporated in it. The applied accelerating pulse causes increase of the potential of the plasma inside the HA up to 7 kV and switches the direction of the current of plasma electrons from the HA and its output grid towards the accelerating gap. It is shown that, in spite of the large positive plasma potential, electron emission occurs due to the dynamics of ion motion in the sheath near the HA grid.