Production of large resonant plasma volumes in microwave electron cyclotron resonance ion sources

Patent · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1998

OSTI ID:871999

Alton, Gerald D ^[1]

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1. Kingston, TN

Microwave injection methods for enhancing the performance of existing electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources. The methods are based on the use of high-power diverse frequency microwaves, including variable-frequency, multiple-discrete-frequency, and broadband microwaves. The methods effect large resonant "volume" ECR regions in the ion sources. The creation of these large ECR plasma volumes permits coupling of more microwave power into the plasma, resulting in the heating of a much larger electron population to higher energies, the effect of which is to produce higher charge state distributions and much higher intensities within a particular charge state than possible in present ECR ion sources.

• Research Organization: Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-96OR22464
• Assignee: Lockheed Martin Energy Research Corporation (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Patent Number(s): US 5841237
• OSTI ID: 871999
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

production
resonant
plasma
volumes
microwave
electron
cyclotron
resonance
sources
injection
methods
enhancing
performance
existing
ecr
based
high-power
diverse
frequency
microwaves
including
variable-frequency
multiple-discrete-frequency
broadband
effect
volume
regions
creation
permits
coupling
power
resulting
heating
larger
population
energies
produce
charge
distributions
intensities
particular
ecr plasma
electron cyclotron
frequency microwave
microwave power
cyclotron resonance
plasma volume
microwave electron
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