Quantum mechanics

Engineering

Pure mathematics

Field electron emission

Materials science

Cathode

Nuclear physics

Field (mathematics)

Atomic physics

Plasma

Electric field

Geology

Oceanography

Physical chemistry

Hydrogen

Laser

Physics

Nuclear engineering

Electric discharge in gases

Particle-in-cell

Mathematics

Optics

Nanosecond

Particle (ecology)

Chemistry

Electrode

Anode

Electron

Journal of Applied Physics

The high-voltage field-emission driven nanosecond discharge in pressurized hydrogen is studied using the one-dimensional Particle-in-Cell Monte Carlo collision model. It is obtained that the main part of the field-emitted electrons becomes runaway in the thin cathode sheath. These runaway electrons propagate the entire cathode-anode gap, creating rather dense (∼1012 cm−3) seeding plasma electrons. In addition, these electrons initiate a streamer propagating through this background plasma with a speed ∼30% of the speed of light. Such a high streamer speed allows the self-acceleration mechanism of runaway electrons present between the streamer head and the anode to be realized. As a consequence, the energy of runaway electrons exceeds the cathode-anode gap voltage. In addition, the influence of the field emission switching-off time is analyzed. It is obtained that this time significantly influences the discharge dynamics.

Particle-in-cell modeling of the nanosecond field emission driven discharge in pressurized hydrogen