Supershort avalanche electron beams and X-ray in highpressure nanosecond discharges

Abstract

The properties of a supershort avalanche electron beam (SAEB) and X-ray radiation produced using a nanosecond volume discharge are examined. An electron beam of the runaway electrons with amplitude of ∼ 50 A has been obtained in air atmospheric pressure. It is reported that SAEB is formed in the angle above 2Π sr. Three groups of the runaway electrons are formed in a gas diode under atmospheric air pressure, when nanosecond voltage pulses with amplitude of hundreds of kilovolts are applied. The electron beam has been generated behind a 45 μm thick AlBe foil in SF6 and Xe under the pressure of 2 atm, and in He under the pressure of about 12 atm. The paper gives the analysis of a generation mechanism of SAEB.