Coulomb interactions in particle beams

This thesis presents a theoretical description of the Coulomb interaction between identical charged particles (electrons or ions) in focussed beam. The charge-density effects as well as the various statistical interaction effects, known as the Boersch effect and the 'trajectory displacement effect', are treated. An introductory literature survey is presented from which the large differences in theoretical approach appear. Subsequently the methods are investigated which are used in studies of comparable problems in plasma physics and stellar dynamics. These turn out to be applicable to particle beams only for certain extreme conditions. The approach finally chosen in this study is twofold. On the one hand use is made of a semi-analytical model in which the statistical and dynamical aspects of the N-particle problem are reduced to two-particle problem. This model results in a number of explicit equations in the experimental parameters, with ties of the beam can be determined directly. On the other hand use has been made of a purely numerical Monte Carlo model in which the kinematical equations of an ensemble interacting particles with 'at random' chosen starting conditions are solved exactly. This model does not lead to general expressions, but yields a specific numerical prediction for each simulated experimental situation. The results of both models appear to agree well mutually. This yields a consistent theory which complements the existing knowledge of particle optics and which allow the description of systems in which the interaction between particles can not be neglected. The predictions of this theory are qualitatively and quantitatively compared with those from some other models, recently reported in literature. (author). 256 refs.; 114 figs.; 1180 schemes; 5 tabs