Imaging of ECR plasmas with a pinhole x-ray camera

Abstract

X-ray plasma images were made at the 14.5 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion source of ATOMKI using a pinhole and a high resolution CCD camera. This method has good spatial resolution as well as the capability of postprocessed energy filtering of the images. During the measurements low and high charge state Ar, Xe, and Fe plasmas were produced with simultaneous beam extraction. Full-size and selected region images were recorded and analyzed. Full-size x-ray images show the spatial positions of different sources of x rays (bremsstrahlung, characteristic lines of plasma and wall ions) within low-charged ECRIS plasmas. Images of selected plasma regions (extraction slit, magnet pole, magnet gap) offer a better understanding of the effect of important tuning parameters (bias disk voltage, gas mixing, microwave power, magnetic field strength, etc.) commonly used to produce highly charged plasmas and beams.