Multicharged iron ions produced by using induction heating vapor source

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Atomic and Molecular Physics
• Ion Source Technology

Background:

• Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) ion sources are crucial for generating multiply charged ions.
• Producing multiply charged iron (Fe) ions from solid materials presents challenges due to material properties and potential contamination.
• Existing methods for Fe ion production may involve limitations in efficiency or purity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a novel evaporator system for producing multiply charged Fe ions from solid pure material.
• To minimize outgassing and contamination during the ion production process.
• To compare the performance of the new Fe ion source with previous methods.

Main Methods:

• Development of an induction heating evaporator using a molybdenum wire coil surrounding a pure Fe rod within a vacuum.
• Installation of the evaporator outside the ECR plasma, with its aperture grazing the ECR zone.
• Extraction of multiply charged Fe ions (up to Fe13+) against the magnetic field and evaporator, utilizing helium or argon as support gas.

Main Results:

• Successful production of multiply charged Fe ions up to Fe13+ using the novel induction heating evaporator.
• Minimized outgassing due to the design, where the heated material has no contact with insulators.
• Demonstrated feasibility of generating a multicharged Fe ion beam with the new source.

Conclusions:

• The developed induction heating evaporator is an effective method for producing multiply charged Fe ions from solid pure iron in an ECR ion source.
• The design minimizes contamination and outgassing, leading to a purer ion beam.
• This new source offers a viable alternative for Fe ion generation compared to previous techniques.