A Comparison of Multipactor Predictions Using Two Popular Secondary Electron Models

Multipactor is a resonant phenomenon in which an electromagnetic field causes stray electrons to impact a surface, liberating secondary electrons, in such a way that the process can sustain itself. This phenomenon is of considerable practical interest in the design and operation of microwave windows, waveguides, and radio frequency resonant structures. The formation of multipactor is strongly dependent upon the secondary electron yield (SEY) of a surface, and the emission velocities of the emitted electrons. Two SEY models are popular within different technical communities: 1) the microwave industry frequently uses a model proposed by Vaughan and 2) the particle accelerator community frequently uses a model proposed by Furman and Pivi. This research examines the level of agreement between multipactor predictions using the two SEY models.