'Intense Relativistic Electron Beam Investigation', was reported in the 'Interim Scientific Report to the AFOSR for the period October 1, 1979 to September 30, 1980' and is herewith included by reference as part of this final report. Progress during the second (final) year of this contract is reported herein. In particular the following topics are discussed: (a) collective ion acceleration experiments using relativistic electron beams and localized ion sources produced by thin films, filaments, puffed gases and vaporization of small diameter wires; and (b) electron beam quality studies experiments in collaboration with Drs. Robert K. Parker and V.L. Granatstein at the Naval Research Laboratory with the objective of obtaining 'cool' beams propagating in vacuum in an axial magnetic field obtaining 'cool' beams propagating in vacuum in an axial magnetic field with minimum energy spread for such applications as the free electron laser.

Soviet research on the propagation of intense relativistic electron beams (IREB) through fairly high-pressure air (pressure range 0.1 to 760 Torr) since the early 1970s has included the study of the plasma channel created by the passage of the electron beam through air, the resistive hose instability and its effect on beam propagation, the effect of self-fields, current enhancement, gas expansion, return currents, inherent beam energy spread, and other factors. This report covers Soviet developments in IREB propagation through air where the beam is not focused by external magnetic fields. The information was obtained from Soviet open-source publications with emphasis given to the last ten years of beam propagation in the Soviet Union. The volume of papers published on this subject in recent years indicates a significant increase in Soviet research in this area.

An intense (5 x 105 Amp/cm2), relativistic (5 MeV), electron beam will be used to investigate the heating of small volumes (~5 to 10 cm3) of dense plasma (1017-- 1018 electrons/cm3) to kilovolt temperatures via the electrostatic two-stream instability.

Intense Ion and Electron Beams treats intense charged-particle beams used in vacuum tubes, particle beam technology and experimental installations such as free electron lasers and accelerators. It addresses, among other things, the physics and basic theory of intense charged-particle beams; computation and design of charged-particle guns and focusing systems; multiple-beam charged-particle systems; and experimental methods for investigating intense particle beams. The coverage is carefully balanced between the physics of intense charged-particle beams and the design of optical systems for their formation and focusing. It can be recommended to all scientists studying or applying vacuum electronics and charged-particle beam technology, including students, engineers, and researchers.

Recently there has been an increased interest in a compact high energy intense light-ion accelerator. Some of the areas of application for such an accelerator include directed energy research, inertial fusion and magnetic fusion. The new approach that has been proposed for investigation is the space charge wave accelerator. With the space charge wave type of collective ion acceleration scheme, one can expect a compact, efficient ion accelerator which is capable of producing high energy and high current ion beams. The ion energy limit occurs when the ion velocity equals that of the electrons. Thus, for an easily producible 1 MeV electron beam about 2 GeV protons are expected. Since a large number of electrons are needed for an intense relativistic electron beam, a proportional but smaller number of ions are expected by momentum balance. With an accelerating electric field having a strength of 1 MV/cm, the 2 GeV proton can be obtained in a short accelerator length of 20 meters.