Exploring nonlinear effects in a plasma-filled diode

Abstract

The complex and chaotic dynamics of a one-dimensional plasma-filled diode is numerically explored by a particle-in-cell simulation. The system has just one control parameter, namely, the electron transit angle, and presents a complex behavior as a function of such a parameter. We report here the large diversity of nonlinear behaviors observed in our simulations when a virtual cathode formation occurs in the system. Particularly, among these interesting situations we stress those where virtual cathode discharges coexist with nonlinear oscillations.