Space potential profiles in relativistic spherical inertial electrostatic confinement (SIEC) devices

Summary form only given. Spherical inertial electrostatic confinement (SIEC) devices could potentially be used as neutron generators for a number of applications. Since Hirsch put forward the hypothesis that a number of alternating virtual electrodes at the center of these devices could be acting as a confinement mechanism, a modest amount of research has been dedicated to verify the existence of these virtual electrodes. The most promising experimental evidence that supported the existence of these virtual electrodes was recently obtained by Gu. Although no sufficient theory has yet been developed to account for collisions in SIECs, collisionless models by Momota and Miley and Meyer are in good agreement with the results of Gu. A SIEC device for practical application will have to operate at several 10´s of keV, allowing some electrons in these devices to obtain energies that are a significant fraction of their rest mass. Thus, relativistic corrections are made to the model of Meyer to explore the relativistic effect on virtual electrode formation