High Current Pulsed Electron Beam Generator

A review is given of a simple and economical method of generating high current electron beams in the range of a few hundred kiloamperes to multi-megamperes at voltages of from 100 kV to 1 MV. Mylar dielectric parallel plate transmission lines, switched with either solid dielectric spark gaps or gas spark gaps constitute the pulse forming network. Several such generators have been built that feed a 50 nsec width pulse through a low inductance insulator/vacuum interface to a field emission diode. The electron beam is generated in the diode region and accelerated through a thin window into a drift chamber. One such generator is described in detail.