Optimization of Electron Beam Transport for a 3-MeV DC Accelerator

Transport of a low-current-density electron beam is simulated for an electrostatic accelerator system. Representative charged particles are uniformly assigned for emission from a circular indirectly-heated cathode of an axial electron gun. The beam is accelerated stepwise up to energy of 1 MeV electrostatically in a length-span of ~3 m using multiple accelerating electrodes in a column of ten tubes. The simulation is done under relativistic condition and the effect of the magnetic field induced by the cathode-heating filament current is taken into account. The beam diameter is tracked at different axial locations for various settings of the electrode potentials. Attempts have been made to examine and explain data on beam transport efficiency obtained from experimental observations.