Fast Electrons Behind the Plane-grid Cathode at Nanosecond Discharge in Atmospheric Pressure Air

Breakdown of atmospheric pressure air gaps with combined design of the cathode at the voltage pulse rise rate equal to 1014V/s has been studied with picoseconds’temporal resolution.Cathode assembly has a structure consisting of a flat thin foil and a grid of parallel foil thin wires.In the space behind the cathode foil a fast electron flow was recorded.The current value of the fast electron beam recorded behind the cathode is essentially influenced by the anode material.At a grid cathode and flat anode,the spectra of fast electrons generated both in direct(towards the anode)and reverse directions have been reconstructed by the attenuation curves.

Breakdown of atmospheric pressure air gaps with combined design of the cathode at the voltage pulse rise rate equal to 10^14 V/s has been studied with picoseconds＇ temporal resolution. Cathode assembly has a structure consisting of a fiat thin foil and a grid of parallel foil thin wires. In the space behind the cathode foil a fast electron flow was recorded. The current value of the fast electron beam recorded behind the cathode is essentially influenced by the anode material. At a grid cathode and flat anode, the spectra of fast electrons generated both in direct （towards the anode） and reverse directions have been reconstructed by the attenuation curves.