Characteristics of a High Current Ion Source Operated with Lithium

摘要

A low pressure arc ion source has been tested for operation with lithium. Currents up to 120 mA could be extracted through a multiple aperture extraction system at energies of 30 keV. The ion beam was neutralized up to 70% in a charge exchange cell filled with lithium vapour. The beam divergence ranged from 20 to 25 mrad full angle deduced from the spatial distribution of the collision induced Li I resonance line. Current densities from 2 to 3 mA/m/sup 2/ at a distance of 1.9 m from the source were measured either by laser induced fluorescence or with a Faraday cup. (ERA citation 12:023279)