Stability theory of magnetically insulated electron flow

The general theory for the stability properties of relativistic Brillouin flow has been developed within the context of planar geometry and cross field propagation of the waves parallel to the equilibrium electron flow. Two important features are considered in the analytical model. They are (1) resistive plasma layers formed in the vicinity of the diode surfaces, and (2) ambient ion flow across the diode gap. Numerical simulations have also been performed to make valid comparisons with the theory. The resulting theory conforms more closely to realistic diode configurations and indicates that the choice of specific diode parameters has a profound influence on stability.