High Efficiency Source for Metal Ions

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Abstract
An ion source is described which produces beams of ions of both high and low vapor pressure materials. The source has the following characteristics which make it suitable for accelerator applications or laboratory ion beam experiments where the large size and complexity of isotope separator ion sources would be a disadvantage: (1) small size, (2) simplicity of construction and operation, (3) long filament life, (4) high charge utilization efficiency, (5) wide operating temperature range, (6) relatively modest power requirement, (7) ability to operate efficiently on either gas or solids. The source operates by electron bombardment ionization of the vapor of the charge material. The vapor is obtained by heating the charge to a sufficiently high temperature to achieve the proper source operating pressure. A unique feature of this source is the combination of the discharge chamber and charge container into one chamber. The operating temperature range of the source is from approximately 300 to about 1600°C. Beams of Zn+, Al+, Cu+, Ag+, Au+, and Fe+ ions have been produced which contain but a small percentage of impurity ions. The charge material in all these cases has been the pure metal.

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