Production of Fast Neutral Lithium Beam for High Temperature Plasma Probing

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Abstract
A high-current lithium ion beam of a few mAcm-2 with an energy of 12 keV and a minimum beam divergence of about 1.2° has been produced by using an ion source of the discharge type. Characteristics of the lithium ion beam regarding the intensity and divergence were experimentally investigated in detail. A lithium neutral beam has been produced using a sodium neutralizer. The neutralization efficiency of the lithium ion beam in the energy range of 2–15 keV was about 80% with a neutralizer at a vapor pressure of 1.7×10-3 Torr. A mass analysis was performed when a mixed discharge of lithium and argon was used. The ratio of R (argon-ion current/lithium-ion current) became less than 0.1 at the oven temperature of the ion source to about 700°C. The applicability of a fast neutral lithium beam to plasma probing is discussed.