Space-charge-limited current in a plane vacuum diode discharged by an electron current pulse

An unsteady discharge of a relativistic vacuum diode is studied analytically. The amplitude and rise time of the discharge current pulse are determined as functions of the input parameters of the problem. It is found that, in a nonrelativistic limit, the maximum attainable amplitude of the discharge current pulse is equal to J(Alim) = 9/4J(CL), where J(CL) is the vacuum-diode limiting current prescribed by the 3/2 law. The parameters of the dipole moment of the layer formed above the grid anode are found in the nonrelativistic limit. nu (c) 2005 Pleiades Publishing, Inc.