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Generation of H sup minus ions in negative ion sources via recombination of H sub 2 sup + and H sub 3 sup + ions incident upon cesium and barium surfaces

Conference ·
OSTI ID:6616972

Negative ion source development over the last decade has followed two general approaches: production of hydrogen negative ions by positive ion bombardment of low-work-function surfaces, notably cesium surfaces, and, the direct extraction of negative ions from a hydrogen discharge. The intensive development of this latter cesium-free volume-source system, however, has led to the useful generation of only rather modest current densities. Necessarily limiting the discharge hydrogen-gas-pressure to a value near ten millitorr so as not to impose excessive collisional beam losses in the accelerator column, production of negative ions in the volume source discharge is also limited. The useful H{sup {minus}} current densities achieved to date with these restricted gas pressures has been approximately 10mAcm{sup {minus}2}. But by properly shaping the electron-energy distribution function in both chambers of a tandem-source configuration, and be selecting axial lengths for these chambers in an optimum way, useful current densities in the range of 20--30Acm{sup {minus}2} should ultimately be achievable even with the constraint of a restricted pressure regime. The need for higher current densities at lower ion-source pressures has motivated the use of cesium or barium electrodes and/or convertors inside the source configuration. This paper discusses the use of these electrodes to generation H{sup {minus}} ions in negative ion sources.

Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (USA)
Sponsoring Organization:
DOD
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-48
OSTI ID:
6616972
Report Number(s):
UCRL-JC-104776; CONF-9005194--2; ON: DE90016476; CNN: AFOSR-ISSA-89-0039
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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