A comparison of the plasma characteristics of two multicusp negative ion sources

Abstract

Electron temperature, electron density and negative ion fraction measurements in two different multicusp negative hydrogen ion sources, operating under similar conditions one at Queen’s University and one at Ecole Polytechnique, are compared. Some data from a third source at FOM are also included in the comparisons. The agreement between electron temperature and density measurements is generally good. There are however considerable discrepancies between the negative ion fraction measurements. This illustrates the great sensitivity of negative ion fractions to the exact source conditions.