Investigating Secondary Electron Yield of Materials of Interest for High Power Vacuum Electron Devices

The payloads of communication satellites include microwave vacuum electron devices, which are critical components. These devices performance may be degraded as a result of Multipactor breakdown (MPB) phenomena, which may result in partial or complete destruction of the device. The secondary electron yield (SEY) of the materials utilized in the device is one of many variables that affect MPB. The process of electron multiplication, which leads to breakdown, initiates with the impact of primary electrons on target surfaces, and the resonance of free electrons within an oscillating electromagnetic field under vacuum conditions. Therefore, it is of interest to find materials and surface treatment methods that exhibit low SEY. Measurements are being made in an existing test stand, recently modified to enable measurements on insulators as well as conductors. The experimental setup will be described, and recent measurements of SEE of materials under investigation for reduced SEE will be presented.