Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 15, 2026

Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
Published on: May 3, 2019
The role of seed electrons on the plasma breakdown and preglow of electron cyclotron resonance ion source
O Tarvainen1, T Ropponen, T Thuillier
1Department of Physics, University of Jyvaskyla, Jyvaskyla 40500, Finland. olli.tarvainen@jyu.fi
Abstract:
The 14 GHz Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source at University of Jyväskylä, Department of Physics (JYFL) has been operated in pulsed mode in order to study the plasma breakdown and preglow effect. It was observed that the plasma breakdown time and preglow characteristics are affected by seed electrons provided by a continuous low power microwave signal at secondary frequency. Sustaining low density plasma during the off-period of high power microwave pulses at the primary frequency shifts the charge state distribution of the preglow transient toward higher charge states. This could be exploited for applications requiring fast and efficient ionization of radioactive elements as proposed for the Beta Beam project within the EURISOL design study, for example. In this article we present results measured with helium and neon.
Related Concept Videos
Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Principle
The ions and electrons produced interact with the fluctuating magnetic field created by a water-cooled...
Inductively Coupled Plasma–Mass Spectrometry (ICP–MS): Overview
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Lab
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Overview
Chemical Ionization (CI) Mass Spectrometry
Atomic Emission Spectroscopy: Instrumentation
