Analysis of the Shock-Induced Current Due to a Charged Particle Impacting a Conducting Surface

This paper compares the transient induced current due to the electromagnetic shock produced by a charged particle impacting a perfectly conducting plate [1], with the classical, quasi-static induced current of Ramo and Shockley (RS) [2]. We consider the simple model of a line charge, removed upon striking the plate. We find that the induced current due to the shock is negligible compared with the RS current for nonrelativistic impact energies, but is more significant as the impact energy becomes mildly relativistic. The implications of these findings on multipactor discharge and on high power microwave sources are discussed.

1. D. Li, D. Chernin, and Y. Y. Lau, “A Relativistic and Electromagnetic Correction to the Ramo–Shockley Theorem,” IEEE Trans. Plasma Sci., 49, 2661 (2021); doi: 10.1109/TPS.2021.3099512.

2. S. Ramo, Proc. IRE 27, 584 (1939); W. Shockley, J. Appl. Phys. 9, 635 (1938).