The Sputter Generation of Negative Ion Beams

A brief review is given of recent progress toward a quantitative understanding of negative ion formation by sputtering from surfaces covered with fractional layers of highly electropositive adsorbates. Practical models developed for estimating changes in work functions {Delta}{phi} by electropositive adsorbates are described. The secondary negative ion generation process is examined through the use of composite energy/velocity dependent analytical models. These models are used to illustrate the effect of work function on the energy distributions of negative ions sputter ejected from a polycrystalline molybdenum surface covered with fractional layers of cesium. Predictions are also made of the functional dependence of the probability for negative ion formation on cesium coverage. The models predict energy distributions which are in basic disagreement with experimental observations, implying their inappropriateness for describing the sputter negative ion generation process. We have also developed a model for calculating sputter ratios based on the use of simple scaling procedures to bring Sigmund theory into close agreement with experimental observation accounting for the threshold effect. Scaling factors for projectile energies E > 1000 eV are found to be independent of energy while those for projectile energies E{sub th} < E < 1000 eV were found to be energy dependent. In this study, the model and scaling techniques utilized to bring Sigmund theory into agreement with experiment are discussed in detail and several examples provided which illustrate the versatility, accuracy and utility of the model. In the present report, we describe the model and apply it to the case of sputtering a selected number of metals with energetic cesium ions. In particular, we present sputter ratio information for a number of Cs-projectile/metal-target combinations; the targets are bombarded at normal incidence to the surface

Broadband Frequency ECR Ion Source Concepts with Large Resonant Plasma Volumes

New techniques are proposed for enhancing the performances of ECR ion sources. The techniques are based on the use of high-power, variable-frequency, multiple-discrete-frequency, or broadband microwave radiation, derived from standard TWT technology, to effect large resonant ``volume`` ECR sources. The creation of a large ECR plasma ``volume`` permits coupling of more power into the plasma, resulting in the heating of a much larger electron population to higher energies, the effect of which is to produce higher charge state distributions and much higher intensities within a particular charge state than possible in present forms of the ECR ion source. If successful, these developments could significantly impact future accelerator designs and accelerator-based, heavy-ion-research programs by providing multiply-charged ion beams with the energies and intensities required for nuclear physics research from existing ECR ion sources. The methods described in this article can be used to retrofit any ECR ion source predicated on B-minimum plasma confinement techniques

Plasma As A High-charge-state Projectile Stripping Medium

The classical trajectory Monte Carlo model has been used to computationally study the charge-state distributions that result from interactions between a high-energy, multielectron projectile and neutral and fully ionized targets. These studies are designed to determine the properties of a plasma for producing highly stripped ions as a possible alternative to gas and foil strippers that are commonly used to enhance the charge states of energetic ion beams. The results of these studies clearly show that a low-atomic-number, highly ionized plasma can yield higher charge states than a neutral target of the same density. The effect is principally attributable to the reduction in the number of available electron-capture channels. In this article, we compare the charge-state distributions that result during passage of a 20-MeV Pb projectile through neutral gas and fully ionized (singly charged) plasma strippers and estimate the effects of multiple scattering on the quality of the beam. © 1992 The American Physical Society

A Combined Thermal Dissociation and Electron Impact Ionization Source for RIB Generation

The probability for simultaneously dissociating and efficiently ionizing the individual atomic constituents of molecular feed materials with conventional, hot-cathode, electron-impact ion sources is low and consequently, the ion beams from these sources often appear as mixtures of several molecular sideband beams. This fragmentation process leads to dilution of the intensity of the species of interest for RIB applications where beam intensity is at a premium. We have conceived an ion source that combines the excellent molecular dissociation properties of a thermal dissociator and the high ionization efficiency characteristics of an electron impact ionization source that will, in principle, overcome this handicap. The source concept will be evaluated as a potential candidate for use for RIB generation at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF), now under construction at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The design features and principles of operation of the source are described in this article

A New Concept Tandem Thermal Dissociator/Electron Impact Ion Source for RIB Generation

An innovative thermal dissociation/electron impact ionization positive ion source is presently under design at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory for potential use for generating RIBs at the Holifield Radioactive Ion Beam Facility (HRIBF). Because of the low probability of simultaneously dissociating and efficiently ionizing the individual atomic constituents with conventional, hot-cathode, electron-impact ion sources, the ion beams extracted from these sources often appear as a mixture of several molecular sideband beams. In this way, the intensity of the species of interest is diluted. We have conceived an Ion source that combines the excellent molecular dissociation properties of a thermal dissociator and the high efficiency characteristics of an electron impact ionization source. If the concept proves to be a viable option, the source will be used as a complement to the electron beam plasma ion sources already in use at the HRIBF. The design features and principles of operation of the source are described in this article

Pulsed Mode Evaluation of an Axial Geometry Cesium Sputter Negative Ion Source

An axial geometry negative ion source has been evaluated as a source of pulsed negative ion beams for possible future use of the Holifield Heavy Ion Research Facility (HHIRF) tandem accelerator as a synchrotron injector. During test stand operation and HHIRF tandem accelerator testing, high-intensity, square wave-form, 100 ..mu..s wide, pulsed beams of Ag/sup -/, Au/sup -/, Cu/sup -/, Ni/sup -/, and O/sup -/ were produced at peak intensity levels ranging between 100 and 350 ..mu..A. The beam intensities were observed to increase approximately linearly with pulsed voltage amplitude over a range of voltages between 400 and 2400 V. In most cases, the pulsed and dc beam components were found to be essentially independent of each other, i.e., the dc component could be adjusted without significantly affecting the pulsed component. Pulsed /sup 16/O/sup -/ beams at peak intensities of 100 ..mu..A were injected into the HHIRF tandem accelerator without observable effects on the operational stability of the accelerator

The Origin of the Dust Arch in the Halo of NGC 4631: An Expanding Superbubble?

We study the nature and the origin of the dust arch in the halo of the edge-on galaxy NGC 4631 detected by Neininger & Dumke (1999). We present CO observations made using the new On-The-Fly mapping mode with the FCRAO 14m telescope, and find no evidence for CO emission associated with the dust arch. Our examination of previously published HI data shows that if previous assumptions about the dust temperature and gas/dust ratio are correct, then there must be molecular gas associated with the arch, below our detection threshold. If this is true, then the molecular mass associated with the dust arch is between 1.5 x 10^8 M(sun)and 9.7 x 10^8 M(sun), and likely towards the low end of the range. A consequence of this is that the maximum allowed value for the CO-to-H_2 conversion factor is 6.5 times the Galactic value, but most likely closer to the Galactic value. The kinematics of the HI apparently associated with the dust arch reveal that the gas here is not part of an expanding shell or outflow, but is instead two separate features (a tidal arm and a plume of HI sticking out into the halo) which are seen projected together and appear as a shell. Thus there is no connection between the dust "arch" and the hot X-ray emitting gas that appears to surround the galaxy Wang et al. (2001).Comment: 14 pages, including 4 figures. Accepted by A.J. for March 200