Atomic nitrogen neutral beam produced by dissociation of molecular ions on Cu surface

Abstract

A new type of atomic neutral beam source with dissociation of molecular ions on a solid surface is studied. Some properties of the neutral atoms produced, i.e. the energy distribution, the angle of divergence, and the production efficiency are studied experimentally with the bombardment of a copper target by a diatomic nitrogen molecular ion beam. It is found that with a decrease of the scattering angle, the energy loss due to collision with the target atom becomes small and the distribution shape also becomes sharp. It is also found that an atomic nitrogen neutral beam with a divergence angle of <0.5 degrees and an efficiency of the order of 10-3 is produced in the present experimental condition. With a larger angle of incidence (>80 degrees ) or the allowance of a larger angle of divergence, the efficiency of this beam source is expected to rise.