skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Development of multiampere negative ion sources

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6489266

The Neutral Beam Development Group at BNL is developing H-/D- surface plasma sources as part of a high energy neutral beam injector. Uncooled Penning and magnetron sources have operated at a maximum beam current of 1 A (10 ms pulses, Mk III) and a maximum pulse length of 200 ms (0.3 A, Mk IV). A magnetron source with focusing grooves on the cathode and an asymmetric anode-cathode geometry operates at a power efficiency of 8 kW/A and a 6% gas efficiency. As the next step, a water cooled magnetron, designed to give a steady state beam of 1 to 2 A, has been constructed. Experiments are in progress to test a modification of the magnetron which may significantly improve its performance. By injecting a sheet of plasma, produced by a highly gas efficient hollow cathode discharge, into a magnetron type anode-cathode geometry, we anticipate a reduction of the source operating pressure by at least three orders of magnitude. Initial experiments have given indications of H/sup -/ production. The next plasma injection experiment is designed to give a steady state beam of approx. = 1 A.

Research Organization:
Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AC02-76CH00016
OSTI ID:
6489266
Report Number(s):
BNL-29159; CONF-810314-73; TRN: 81-008138
Resource Relation:
Conference: Particle accelerator conference, Washington, DC, USA, 11 Mar 1981
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English