An advanced negative hydrogen ion source

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Ion Source Technology

Background:

• Investigating negative particle sources is crucial for applications like particle accelerators and fusion energy.
• Cesiated discharges offer enhanced negative ion production efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the emission productivity of a negative particle source utilizing a cesiated combined discharge.
• To characterize the performance of the developed ion source.

Main Methods:

• Experimental investigation of a negative particle source with a cesiated combined discharge.
• Measurement of negative ion beam density and total current.
• Analysis of discharge stability and oscillation levels.

Main Results:

• A cylindrical beam of negative hydrogen ions with a density of approximately 2 A/cm² was achieved in a low-noise mode.
• The source produced a total negative hydrogen ion current of up to 200 mA.
• A total negative particle current of up to 1.5 A was observed, albeit with high divergence.
• The source demonstrated stable discharge operation with a low oscillation level.

Conclusions:

• The cesiated combined discharge is effective for generating high-density negative hydrogen ion beams.
• The developed ion source exhibits stable operation and significant current output, suitable for further research and applications.