Migration of multipactor trajectories via higher-order mode perturbations

Multipactor1,2 is a resonant phenomenon in which an electromagnetic field causes a free electron to impact a surface, resulting in the surface emitting one or more secondary electrons. If the surface geometry and electromagnetic fields are appropriately arranged, the secondary electrons can then be accelerated and again impact a surface in the bounding geometry. If the net number of secondary electrons participating in multipactor is non-decreasing, then the process can repeat indefinitely. This phenomenon is of considerable practical interest in the design and operation of radio frequency (RF) resonant structures, windows, and supporting structures.