57 research outputs found
Plasma current multiplication at high current levels
No full text The plasma current multiplier, PCM, is a simple gas discharge device which has the capability of amplifying small cathode currents to large anode currents. Experimental results are presented for the current gain of a PCM operating on argon and covering a range of gas pressures and current levels. It is found that gain increases with pressure and decreases with current density. A theory is presented which explains the experimental observations. Gas rarefaction due to heating by the discharge electrons is found to play a dominant role in high current PCM operation. </jats:p
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