1-MeV electron beam propagation experiments in neutral gas

Experiments were performed studying the propagation of a 1-MeV, 10-ns electron beam at currents of 2-8 kA. Propagation was studied in a 7.6-cm-diam glass guide tube, the same tube with a conducting screen inside, and in a 3.4-m-diam chamber. In the guide tube with the screen, ion-focused propagation is observed at low pressures (≤ 40 Pa) with net current equal to beam current. At higher pressures (55-130 Pa), a notch in beam current is observed for pressure time products of ≅ 100 Pa-ns. Between 270 Pa and 1070 Pa, good propagation is again observed with net currents of 50-70% of the beam current. The net current fraction of beam current increases with increasing pressure and with decreasing beam current. At pressure above 1070 Pa, hose instability occurs, and net current nearly equal to beam current is observed. The hose frequency is in reasonable accord with theory. Nose erosion is minimized at pressures for 1000-2000 Pa depending on beam current, and increases at lower and higher pressures