Space-Charge Instabilities in Electron Diodes and Plasma Converters

Abstract
Space‐charge instabilities in diodes have been found to produce variations in potential and current that are larger than predicted from classical static analyses and, moreover, which produce sustained electrokinetic oscillations. This report reviews the classical static solution and presents the new transient solution briefly. As applications, tentative explanations are offered for recent observations of extra shot‐noise smoothing and of oscillations in thermionic converters.