title: Nonlinear transmission line based electron beam driver.
abstract: Gated field emission cathodes can provide short electron pulses without the requirement of laser systems or cathode heating required by photoemission or thermionic cathodes. The large electric field requirement for field emission to take place can be achieved by using a high aspect ratio cathode with a large field enhancement factor which reduces the voltage requirement for emission. In this paper, a cathode gate driver based on the output pulse train from a nonlinear transmission line is experimentally demonstrated. The application of the pulse train to a tufted carbon fiber field emission cathode generates short electron pulses. The pulses are approximately 2 ns in duration with emission currents of several mA, and the train contains up to 6 pulses at a frequency of 100 MHz. Particle-in-cell simulation is used to predict the characteristic of the current pulse train generated from a single carbon fiber field emission cathode using the same technique.
authors.affiliation: Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico 87117, USA.
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: French
authors.forename: Brad W
authors.initials: BW
authors.lastname: Hoff
authors.forename: Wilkin
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Tang
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heidger
authors.forename: Jordan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Allen-Flowers
authors.forename: Don
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Shiffler