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High ion charge states in a high-current, short-pulse, vacuum arc ion source

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/132736· OSTI ID:132736
Ions of the cathode material are formed at vacuum arc cathode spots and extracted by a grid system. The ion charge states (typically 1--4) depend on the cathode material and only little on the discharge current as long as the current is low. Here the authors report on experiments with short pulses (several {micro}s) and high currents (several kA); this regime of operation is thus approaching a more vacuum spark-like regime. Mean ion charge states of up to 6.2 for tungsten and 3.7 for titanium have been measured, with the corresponding maximum charge states of up to 8+ and 6+, respectively. The results are discussed in terms of Saha calculations and freezing of the charge state distribution.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Berkeley Lab., CA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
DOE Contract Number:
AC03-76SF00098
OSTI ID:
132736
Report Number(s):
LBL--37217; CONF-9509125--7; ON: DE96002280
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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