Numerical Simulation of the Operation of a Wide-Aperture Electron Gun with a Grid Plasma Emitter and Beam Output into the Atmosphere

Abstract

Numerical simulation of physical processes in the electron-optical system of a DUET accelerator was carried out using the ERA-DD code. The calculations were made on adaptive quasi-structured grids developed by the authors. A mathematical model for the emission plasma surface deformable when solving the problem is proposed. In this model, the problem is considered in a two-dimensional axisymmetric approximation and the front of the electron entrance to the computational domain is represented as a set of circular arcs connected by necks. In order to increase the accuracy of the calculations, it is proposed to divide the multi-scale extended domain into two subdomains and alternately solve self-consistent problems in the subdomains using the Schwarz alternating method. The beams are simulated by the method of current tubes, and the electric field potential is calculated by the finite volume method. The obtained characteristics of the beam are compared with experimental data. It is shown that for the operating parameters of the beam source, its losses on the accelerator components are minimal and can be caused primarily by the imperfect alignment of the holes in the mask and the support grid, as well as by deviations of electron beams generated by the structures located on the periphery of the emission electrode.