Formation of energy distribution of a multi-species ion beam moving through a drift gap
Yu. V. Korobkin
Lebedev Physical Institute of the RAS, Moscow, Russia
V. L. Paperny, A. A. Chernikh
Irkutsk State University, Irkutsk, Russia
Parameters of accelerated beams of metallic ions in different charge states that are separated from plasma of a pulse
vacuum arc are investigated. By means of a small-size analyzer the energy distributions for ion beams moving through a
drift gap were measured at different accelerated voltages. It was shown that shape of the distribution differs
from this one expected in case of a pure electrostatic acceleration. In particular, width of the distribution is
enhanced substantially as compared to that in the initial plasma jet and the average ion energy is lower than
the expected one. Probe measurements revealed a marked electron component in the separated ion beam, which,
nevertheless, doesn’t compensate the space ion charge. It was shown that it was effect of the ion space charge
that can explain the observed shape of energy distribution of the ion beam at motion through a drift gap.
PACS: 41.75.-i
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