The Role of Elastic and Inelastic Electron Reflection in Multipactor Discharges

Abstract

In this brief, it is demonstrated that the inclusion of primary electron elastic and inelastic reflection from the surfaces of vacuum RF electronic systems can result in a multipactor discharge where under current techniques multipactor is predicted not to occur. Electron reflection effectively broadens the phase range over which multipactor can occur, as the increased energy available to reflected electrons allows electrons to travel further through retarding fields and electrons can via reflection "bounce" along the surface until the phase of the RF changes to a favorable range. Multipactor at these neo-band points is dependent upon reflected electrons to increase the phase range over which electron multiplication occurs.