Speaker
Description
Pyroelectric effect in the single crystals of lithium niobate (LiNbO3) and lithium tantalate (LiTaO3) gives unique possibility to generate and accelerate electrons to energies of the order of 100 keV. This phenomenon underlies conception of a pyroelectric accelerator. This device can be used as a portative X-ray tube, weak-intensity monoenergetic neutron source, a deflector of external particle beams, etc. The main challenge is to provide stable and reproducible operation mode with predictable electric potential difference and particle fluxes.
Here we report our progress concerning understanding of key processes allowing a pyroelectric accelerator be more applicable for industry enquires. The crucial factors (the way of change in temperature, relation of residual gas pressure and geometry, the target shape) are discussed. The non-standard avalanche discharge leading to electric potential stabilization is described. This process is quite attractive for control particle fluxes in the pyroelectric accelerator.
The work was financially supported a Program of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation for higher education establishments, Project No. FZWG-2020-0032 (2019-1569). The work of PVK was supported by the Science and Technology Facilities Council via John Adams Institute for Accelerator Science at Royal Holloway, University of London (Grant Ref. No. ST/V001620/1).
