PIC simulations of space charge limited flow

Achieving the maximum possible current density continues to be an important goal with far ranging applications. The space charge limit to current in diodes can be affected by a number of parameters, such as finite emitter size [1] and short pulse length [2]. Here, using a particle-in-cell code, we examine a number of interesting phenomena associated with space charge limited flow, including virtual cathode formation for time-dependent situations. \\[4pt] [1] Luginsland, Lau, et. al., Physics of Plasmas 9 (2002) 2371\\[0pt] [2] Valfells et. al., Physics of Plasmas 12 (2002) 2377