Production of low energy spread ion beams with multicusp sources

Abstract

The use of multicusp sources to generate ion beams with narrow energy spread has been investigated. It is found that the presence of a magnetic filter can reduce the longitudinal energy spread significantly. This is achieved by creating a uniform plasma potential distribution in the discharge chamber region, eliminating ion production in the extraction chamber and in the sheath of the exit aperture and by minimizing the probability of charge exchange processes in the extraction chamber. An energy spread as low as 1 eV has been measured.