Particle Beam Weapon Uses & Effects

[Kalrag]

I surfing the web at random and picked up a particle beam weapon article on wikipedia.

A particle beam weapon uses an ultra-high-energy beam of atoms or electrons (i.e. a particle beam) to damage a material target by hitting it, and thus disrupting its atomic and molecular structure. A particle beam weapon is a type of directed-energy weapon, which directs energy in a particular direction by a means of particle projectiles with mass. Some of these weapons are real or practicable; some are science fiction[citation needed].

An electron particle beam weapon works by disrupting electric circuits and electronic devices in its targets. If any living animals or persons were to be caught by the electric discharge of an electron beam weapon, they would most likely be electrocuted. An electron beam weapon can also damage or melt its target by the electrical resistance heating of the target

In the article it states the effects of these weapons. Could this be schived by a regular electron gun or ion cannon? Can someone help?

 

[ZapperZ]

This looks great, but only on paper.

The information neglected to talk about the mean free path of atoms and electrons in air (it isn't very long), and also neglected to talk about space-charge effects. In other words, this is not a "weapon" that can attack something very far.

Directed energy weapons that are being considered are more likely free-electron lasers, i.e. EM beam, rather than charge beams.

Zz.

 

[Dr Lots-o'watts]

And the difference between an "electron particle beam", and a taser is...

(electrons flow towards the least potential -anode or ground-, which makes aiming useless. The taser shoots a pair of electrodes, so the electrons know where to go: from one electrode to the other, which solves the problem of aiming.)

 

[Kalrag]

But it can be used as a close range weapon, right? And when you say its short range, how far is it?

 

[Naty1]

https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?t=73725

 

[ZapperZ]

But it can be used as a close range weapon, right? And when you say its short range, how far is it?

But this defeats the purpose! By the time you are THAT close, I can simply smack you with my rolling pin and get it over with, without resorting to an expensive electron or ion gun!

Zz.

 

[Kalrag]

Then what kind of energy weapon would work? Any ideas?

 

[Kalrag]

Also what about a free electrons laser. Is it possible that it can be used as a hand held weapon?

 

[Bob S]

Accelerator physicists did develop a working model of a "Star Wars" particle accelerator that would work above the atmosphere (in space). The accelerator was an H-minus accelerator (proton plus two electrons*) that used a negative ion source, an RFQ (radio frequency quadrupole), plus an RF linear accelerator to accelerate the H-minus to a high energy. The beam was then run through a thin stripper foil that removes the second loosely-bound electron, leaving a neutral particle (hydrogen atom) beam, which would not be deflected by the Earth's magnetic field. A small model was launched and tested above the atmosphere (195 Km) in 1989 (http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&sour...3ZHP-wb9nLbkn2D-A&sig2=PZ3IziXq-8Gr7_ap6IrtAw)

*The "second" electron is bound by only ~0.75 eV, so it is easily stripped off, by either a thin foil or a laser beam. The SNS (Spallation Neutron Source) at Oak Ridge National Lab (www.SNS.gov[/URL]) accelerates H-minus to 1 GeV and injects them into a proton storage ring.

Boeing has flown and tested a chemical-energy laser "weapon" in a 747. See

[PLAIN]http://www.boeing.com/defense-space/military/abl/index.html

Bob S

 

[ZapperZ]

Also what about a free electrons laser. Is it possible that it can be used as a hand held weapon?

Oy vey.

Note that I had already mentioned FEL in my earlier post, and that this is nothing more than EM radiation, i.e. this is not within the topic of your question.

FEL requires a full-blown accelerator. It means you need an electron source (typically from a photoinjector), accelerating structures, wiggler/undulators, and RF sources to power those accelerating structures. These things can can occupy an area the size of a house!

Zz.

 

[JDługosz]

*The "second" electron is bound by only ~0.75 eV, so it is easily stripped off, by either a thin foil or a laser beam.

I wonder, why does a second electron bind?

 

[Bob S]

I wonder, why does a second electron bind?

Attaching a second electron on a hydrogen atom is not easy. George Gillespie wrote several papers on H- detachment. Here are two:

Double closure calculation of the electron-loss cross section for H- in high-energy collisions with H and He
George H. Gillespie
Phys. Rev. A 15, 563 (1977) – Published February 1, 1977
==============================
High-energy cross sections for H- ions incident on intermediate and high-Z atoms
George H. Gillespie
Phys. Rev. A 16, 943 (1977) – Published September 1, 1977
=======================================
You might also find this paper useful
One- and two-electron photoejection from H-: A multichannel J-matrix calculation
John T. Broad and William P. Reinhardt
Phys. Rev. A 14, 2159 (1976) – Published December 1, 1976
==================================================
Pauling and Wilson "Introduction to Quantum Mechanics" (McGraw Hill, 1935) page 225 gives the theoretical binding energy of the "second" hydrogen electron as 0.7149 eV.
Their reference is E. A. Hylleraas, Zeitschrift fur Physik Vol 65, page 209 (1930)

Bob S