Measuring the Emission and Decay Time of a Cathode Plasma
At a Glance
Section titled āAt a Glanceā| Metadata | Details |
|---|---|
| Publication Date | 2023-05-21 |
| Authors | M. R. Howard, J. E. Coleman, S. Lidia |
| Institutions | Michigan United, Michigan State University |
Abstract
Section titled āAbstractāA cathode test stand has been designed to study cathode emission characteristics over pulse lengths of up to 2.5Ī¼s. A suite of diagnostics is used to characterize both the initial turn-on of emission and excess emission. One diagnostic amongst the suite is used to monitor the emission directly by imaging the cathode face with an ICCD. We measure the lifetime of the hydrogen plasma through time resolved measurements with the ICCD. We have found that the time constant for the cathode decay ranges from 0.5Ī¼s to 1Ī¼s, In some cases, the emission current rapidly exceeds what is expected due to ChildLangmuir. We also monitor excess emission in the diode with diamond detectors and capacitive pickups. Example measurements will be presented.