A novel phase focusing mechanism in multipactor discharge

Abstract

In spite of the mutual repulsion among the space charges, a new phase‐focusing mechanism is discovered whereby the leading edge of the multipactor discharge in an rf circuit grows at the expense of the trailing edge. This effect arises from the different impact energies, and hence different secondary electron yields, experienced by different portions of the discharge. This phase focusing mechanism may shape the steady‐state multipactor discharge in the form of a very tight bunch of electrons. © 1996 American Institute of Physics.