Doctoral Dissertations

Jing Hu

Abstract

"This dissertation focuses on the pseudospark discharge, a pulsed discharge discovered for the first time in 1970's. This dissertation is prepared as three journal articles in the style used by Missouri University of Science and Technology. A high voltage pseudospark discharge experiment setup, and discharge and electron beam diagnostic system are constructed and presented in this work. Three journal articles which have been published or are under review are presented in this dissertation on various topics of the pseudospark discharge.

Paper 1 "Experimental investigation of formation time in single-gap pseudospark discharge" is focused on experimental investigations of the time-dependent characteristics of single gap pseudospark discharge device in order to understand the initiation of the discharge current increase and build-up of a highly conductive channel during the high current main discharge phase, which is important for pseudospark performance as a switching device. Paper 2 "Faraday cup with nanosecond response and adjustable impedance for fast electron beam characterization" presents a specifically designed Faraday cup diagnostic with fast response time of 8.6 ns that is used to determine the time-resolved electron beam energy distribution function by the self-biased method. Paper 3 "Experimental investigation of time-resolved electron beam energy distributions generated in a transient hollow cathode discharge" describes a more accurate method to determine time-resolved electron energy spectrum of pseudospark electron beams using a retarding potential energy analyzer (RPEA) specifically designed for pulsed electron beams within the pressure range of tens of mTorr. The time-dependent electron beam energy spectrum generated by multi-gap pseudospark discharge, and the dependence of generated electron energy on external parameters are presented in this work. Experimental investigations under applied potential of 5 kV, 10 kV, 15 kV and 20 kV were carried out and the time-resolved electron energy distributions are constructed. Additionally, the energy efficiency of pseudospark produced electrons is also calculated for energy cost evaluation and compared with the requirement of intense electron beam applications in this work"--Abstract, page iv.

Advisor(s)

Rovey, Joshua L.

Committee Member(s)

Isaac, Kakkattukuzhy M.
Riggins, David W.
Kovaleski, Scott
Castaño, Carlos H.

Department(s)

Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

Degree Name

Ph. D. in Aerospace Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Fall 2012

Pagination

xiv, 120 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes bibliographical references.

Rights

© 2012 Jing Hu, All rights reserved.

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Subject Headings

Electron beamsLaser plasmasPulse techniques (Electronics)Microwave devices

Thesis Number

T 10139

Print OCLC #

843766720

Electronic OCLC #

908694973

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