Ring structure of electron-ion beams ejected by a picosecond high-current electron accelerator

The results of a study of the parameters of the radial structure of electron-ion beams emitted by a high-voltage vacuum discharge with an extremely high energy deposition rate > 5×1013 A/s are presented. An analysis of the structure of beam imprints on the irradiated anode foil, as well as traces of erosion on the crystalline substrate obtained by the authors earlier, showed that there are rings on a scale of tens of microns, and the energy of accelerated electrons in the central part of the beam is much higher than in the peripheral rings. A possible mechanism providing the observed beam structure is considered.