Suppression by low-energy thermionic electrons of instabilities in the transport of a high-power electron beam in the forevacuum pressure range.
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Abstract We report here the results of our studies on the effect of injection of low-energy thermionic electrons on the suppression of instabilities of the beam-plasma discharge type in a beam-plasma during the transport of a powerful continuous electron beam generated by a plasma-cathode electron source in the forevacuum range of pressure. As result of thermionic electron injection, the plasma electron temperature decreased to 0.3 eV and the plasma density decreased by an order of magnitude to 10^15 m-3. The minimal thermoelectron current required for suppressing the beam-plasma discharge increases with increasing emission current and decreases with increase of the beam accelerating voltage.