Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Thermionic Space Charge Oscillations, William Carl

Masters Theses & Specialist Projects

Thermionic electrons emitted into a potential well will produce radiation, the frequency of which is determined by the transit time of the electrons. This paper investigates the case where radiation is produced by a vacuum tube in which two Pierce guns face each other, one acting as the emitter, the other acting as a reflector. Symmetry and the focusing of the electron beam by the Pierce guns make it possible to make an accurate determination of the electron transit time. Measurements showed that the period of the oscillation was 1.5 times the period required for an electron to traverse the …