Explosive Emission Cathode Based on a Carbon Fiber for Long-Term Pulsed-Periodic Mode of Operation and its Application in a High-Power Microwave Pulse Generator Without External Magnetic Field

Current characteristics and operating lifetime of the explosive emission cathode based on a carbon microfiber are investigated in the pulsed-periodic mode of operation with pulse duration of about 5 ns. Long-term (for up to 3.6 million pulses) tests of the cathode operating lifetime are carried out. Specific ablation of the fiber material equal to 2.4·10–4 g/C is obtained. Change in the morphology of the fiber surface during long-time operation caused by deposition of carbon from the cathode plasma is revealed. The microscopic electric field strength on the fiber surface is estimated taking into account the surface microrelief. The efficiency of microwave generation comparable with that of a velvet cathode in low (200 kV/cm) average electric field in the gap is obtained for the Cherenkov microwave generator with vacuum diode without external magnetic field of decimeter wavelength range based on the SINUS-7 pulsed-periodic high-current electron accelerator with current pulse duration of 50 ns. The operating lifetime no less than 105 pulses is demonstrated for the carbon fiber-based cathode of the microwave generator operating in the mode of pulse batch with duration of several seconds and pulse repetition frequency of 20–50 Hz.