Stability of a Stationary Double Layer

V. A. Turikov

Russian University of Peoples’ Friendship, ul. Miklukho-Maklaya 6, Moscow, 117198 Russia

Received May 17, 2002

Abstract—Electrostatic oscillations in a stationary beam double layer are studied in the hydrodynamic approx-
imation. An analysis of the solutions to the linearized equations for perturbations shows that the double layer
in an unbounded plasma may be subject only to convective instability, in which case the perturbations localized
inside the region of the potential jump escape from the plasma without distorting the steady field structure. The
double layer in a bounded plasma is investigated numerically by a particle-in-cell method. It is established that,
as is the case in the Pierce system, the governing role in the stability of the double layer is played by the field
of the charges induced on the surfaces of the conducting electrodes. © 2002 MAIK “Nauka/Interperiodica”.

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