Purity of nitrogen ion beams produced in a plasma focus

Abstract

To improve the purity of ion beams produced in a plasma focus (PF), the dependence of the characteristics of the nitrogen ion beams on the shape of the anode was investigated. Two types of anodes, i.e. rod type (type A) and hollow type (type B) were used with a PF pre-filled with nitrogen gas. Thomson parabola spectrometer measurements showed the existence of a large amount of impurity ions, O1–2+, C+, and Cu1–2+, with nitrogen ions (N1–3+) and the percentage of nitrogen ions is only 25% in type A. In contrast, in type B the impurity is extremely reduced and the percentage of nitrogen ions is enhanced to 91%. The maximum energies and power brightnesses of the nitrogen beams were evaluated to be 0.5 MeV and 0.23 GW cm−2 sr in type A and 1 MeV and 1.6 GW cm−2 sr in type B; hence, energy and brightness are also enhanced in type B. From x-ray pinhole images we see that strong electron irradiation occurs on the top of the anode in type A, whereas in type B, electron irradiation is weak and irradiation area is far from the pinch plasma. Hence, the impurity ions observed in type A are considered to be produced in the following process. Due to the strong irradiation of electrons on the anode top, the electrode and the absorbed gas on the electrode are vaporized, mixed with pinch plasma and accelerated with nitrogen ions.