Simple model of the rf noise generated by multipacting electrons

Journal article, 2014

A simplified analytical model is developed to predict the spectrum of electric current induced by the multipacting electrons between two parallel electrodes exposed to an rf voltage of fixed amplitude. The model is based on the resonant multipactor theory and makes it possible to calculate the relative spectral amplitudes of electric current at different harmonics and sub-harmonics of the applied rf frequency. The theoretical predictions are confirmed by numerical simulations of multipactor inside a rectangular waveguide. Specifically it is seen that the relative height of the spectral peaks decreases with increasing gap height.