Space charge effects and electronic bistability

Summary

The excitation of metastable states in an atomic beam apparatus by means of electron collision is a widespread technique. We have observed a large bistable behaviour in our apparatus designed to provide an intense and collimated beam of metastable helium by excitation with orthogonally impinging electrons. This bistable behaviour largely affects the efficiency of the apparatus and is therefore worth of being carefully investigated. The apparatus has an electrode configuration equivalent to that of a tetrode valve with large intergrid distances. The bistability consists in a hysteresis cycle in the curve of the anode currentvs. grid voltage. Experimental measurements, supported by a simple theoretical model and by numerical simulation, stress out the crucial role played by space charge effects for the onset of bistability. A comparison with previous observation of this phenomenon is given. Spontaneous current oscillations with various shapes have been recorded in one of the two curves of the hysteresis cycle.