Multiple Ionization Of Metal Ions By ECR Heating Of Electrons In Vacuum Arc Plasmas

Journal Article · Tue Mar 15 04:00:00 EST 2005 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1893379· OSTI ID:20630647

Vodopyanov, A V; Golubev, S V; Mansfeld, D A; Razin, S V ^[1]; Nikolaev, A G; Oks, E M; Savkin, K P ^[2]

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1. Institute of Applied Physics (IAP RAS), Nizhny Novgorod (Russian Federation)
2. High Current Electronics Institute (HCEI RAS), Tomsk (Russian Federation)

A joint research and development effort has been initiated, whose ultimate goal is the enhancement the mean ion charge states in vacuum arc metal plasmas by a combination of a vacuum arc discharge and an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating. Metal plasma was generated by a special vacuum arc mini-gun and injected into mirror magnetic trap. Plasma was pumped by high frequency gyrotron-generated microwave radiation (frequency 37.5 GHz, max power 100 kW, pulse duration 1.5 ms). Using of powerful microwaves makes it possible to sustain sufficient temperature of electrons needed for multiple ionizations at high plasma density (more then 1013 cm-3). Parameter of multiple ionization efficiency Ne{tau}i, where Ne is plasma density, {tau}i, is ion lifetime, in such a case could reach rather high value {approx}109 cm-3-s. In our situation {tau}i = Ltrap/Vi, where Ltrap is trap length, Vi is plasma gun flow velocity. The results have demonstrated substantial multiple ionization of metal ions (including metals with high melting temperature). For a metal (lead, platinum) plasma, ECR heating shifted the average ion charge up to 5+. Further increase of the ion charge states will be attained by increasing the vacuum arc plasma density and optimizing the ECR heating conditions.

• OSTI ID: 20630647
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 749; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS
CHARGE STATES
ECR HEATING
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRON CYCLOTRON-RESONANCE
ELECTRONS
GHZ RANGE
IONIZATION
IONS
MAGNETIC MIRRORS
MELTING POINTS
MICROWAVE RADIATION
PLASMA
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA GUNS
PLATINUM
PULSES
RF SYSTEMS
TRAPS