Plasma Characteristics of a Large RF-Driven Negative Hydrogen Ion Source

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
A large rf-driven negative hydrogen ion source has been developed for a neutral beam injection (NBI) system in future experimental fusion devices. Dimensions of the rf plasma generator are 30×30×20 cm3. An induction coil antenna is fully immersed into the plasma generator. The rf-driven plasma with an electron density of 1.5×1012 cm-3 was generated at 28 kW rf power at a frequency of 2 MHz. The electron temperature in the extraction region decreases as the line-integrated magnetic filter field strength increases. An electron temperature in the extraction region of 1 eV, which is suitable for generating negative ions, was obtained at a line-integrated filter field strength of 1030 G cm. Negative hydrogen ions are extracted from a single aperture of 13 mm in diameter in a pure-volume operation. An extracted negative ion current of 5.5 mA was obtained at 13.1 mTorr gas pressure and 15 kW rf power. This negativeion current corresponds to a power efficiency of 5.0 ( mA/cm2)/( W/cm3), which is superior to that in filament-arc negative ion sources.

This publication has 13 references indexed in Scilit: