Method and apparatus for confinement of ions in the presence of a neutral gas
- Richland, WA
The present invention is an apparatus and method for combining ions with a neutral gas and flowing the mixture with a radial flow component through a magnetic field so that the weakly ionized gas is confined by the neutral gas. When the weakly ionized gas is present in sufficient density, a weakly ionized non-neutral plasma is formed that may be trapped in accordance with the present invention. Applications for a weakly ionized non-neutral plasma exploit the trap's ability to store and manipulate ionic species in the presence of neutral gas. The trap may be connected to a mass spectrometer thereby permitting species identification after a fixed period of time. Delicate and/or heavy particles such as clusters may be held and studied in a "gentle" environment. In addition, the trap can provide a relatively intense, low-energy source of a particular ion species for surface implantation or molecular chemistry. Finally, a long trap may permit spectroscopy of unprecedented accuracy to be performed on ionic species.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, OH (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC06-76RL01830
- Assignee:
- Battelle Memorial Institute (Richland, WA)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5931986
- OSTI ID:
- 872420
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
The non-neutral plasma: an introduction to physics with relevance to cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry
|
journal | December 1996 |
Transport to thermal equilibrium of a pure electron plasma
|
journal | January 1979 |
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apparatus
confinement
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neutral
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combining
flowing
mixture
radial
flow
component
magnetic
field
weakly
ionized
confined
sufficient
density
non-neutral
plasma
formed
trapped
accordance
applications
exploit
trap
ability
store
manipulate
ionic
species
connected
mass
spectrometer
permitting
identification
fixed
period
time
delicate
heavy
particles
clusters
held
studied
gentle
environment
addition
provide
relatively
intense
low-energy
source
particular
surface
implantation
molecular
chemistry
finally
permit
spectroscopy
unprecedented
accuracy
performed
neutral gas
ionized gas
sufficient density
mass spectrometer
magnetic field
energy source
radial flow
ionic species
flow component
/95/96/