What effect would accelerated electrons have in the air?

[member 656954]

I've been reading about semiconductor laser-driven particle accelerators over the years, and think they would make an interesting future-tech privacy screen...possibly. My design is along the lines illustrated by the diagram, but I'm wondering what actual effect accelerated electrons would have in the air. A quick search suggests nothing good, though, with generation of "X‐rays with photon energies up to 1 MeV" as an example.

Given this is sci-fi, I'm happy to apply artistic license, but if the people within are going to electrocuted, or sheeted with X-rays, then that might be a plot device carried too far

(In my story I've also a circular rug that absorbs (grounds?) the electrons.)

 

[Vanadium 50]

but I'm wondering what actual effect accelerated electrons would have in the air

That's pretty much what lightning is.

 

[member 656954]

That's pretty much what lightning is.

Thanks @Vanadium 50, that's what I hoped would not be the obvious answer. Which suggests it's not possible to 'shepherd' electrons to the ground in the directed way I imagined. Instead, my device would probably be more like a Van de Graaff generator, spitting off random discharges all over the place

 

[Vanadium 50]

I'm afraid once you have breakdown, you're not going to have any control over where the electrons go. They will find their own way. As for x-rays, you get them from lightning too.

Shazam!

 

[stefan r]

Check out the band Arc Attack. They do cover songs using Tesla coils, Faraday cages, and robots.