Experimental study of the pseudospark-produced electron beam for material processing

The pseudospark-produced electron beam has been experimentally investigated. The measurements of spatial current distribution for the free-running mode (/spl sim/100 Hz) showed spatial instabilities of the beam propagation. The effect of a dielectric channel used for the stabilization of the beam propagation was studied. The beam interaction with metal targets was investigated, and a substantial part (about 50%) of the beam current was found to be reflected from the target inclined at an angle of 30-60/spl deg/ with respect to the beam axis.