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Supersonic plasma flows with densities of 10 13 -10 16 cm -3 find application in various fields of physics and technology such as surface modification, simulation of plasma impact in fusion facilities, and laboratory studies of space phenomena. The work outlined here describes a pulsed vacuum arc source of supersonic dense metal plasma flow. The design, working principle, features of the power supply circuit, and main parameters of the plasma source in relation to the parameter of the vacuum arc pulse are discussed. Flows of ionized aluminum, copper, tantalum, and molybdenum were investigated. At a vacuum arc current amplitude of 25 kA, the source generated a plasma with a density of 3 × 10 15 cm -3 . The ion velocity in the plasma flow and the ion charge state composition were measured. For an aluminum cathode, we have carried out measurements of the macroparticle fraction and the erosion rate. This supersonic metal ion plasma flow source is primarily designed for studying the flow interaction with an inhomogeneous magnetic field, with simultaneous application of electron cyclotron resonance irradiation from high-power pulsed gyrotrons, but may also find other applications.

The hybrid high charge metal ion source based on vacuum arc plasma heated by gyrotron radiation into simple magnetic trap has been developed. Two types of magnetic traps were used: a mirror configuration and a cusp one with inherent "minimum-B" structure. Pulsed high power (>100 kW) gyrotrons with frequency 37.5 GHz and 75 GHz were used for heating the vacuum arc plasma injected into the traps. Two different ways were used for injecting the metal plasma-axial injection by a miniature arc source located on-axis near the microwave window, and simultaneous radial injection by a number of sources mounted radially at the midplane of the traps. This article represents all data gathered for platinum ions, thus making comparison of the experimental results obtained with different traps and injections convenient and accurate.

We suggest a Penning-type discharge as a trigger discharge for fast development of pulsed electron cyclotron resonance plasma. The Penning-type discharge glows at a low pressure as needed. Gyrotron radiation (75 GHz, 200 kW, 1 ms) was used for plasma heating. Fully striped helium ions were demonstrated, average charge of ions in the plasma was ≈ 2. Experiment and calculations show that high charge states of heavier gases require lower initial pressure and longer development time. Only moderate charge states are achievable in this pulsed scheme.

A method for generating high charge state heavy metal ion beams based on high power microwave heating of vacuum arc plasma confined in a magnetic trap under electron cyclotron resonance conditions has been developed. A feature of the work described here is the use of a cusp magnetic field with inherent "minimum-B" structure as the confinement geometry, as opposed to a simple mirror device as we have reported on previously. The cusp configuration has been successfully used for microwave heating of gas discharge plasma and extraction from the plasma of highly charged, high current, gaseous ion beams. Now we use the trap for heavy metal ion beam generation. Two different approaches were used for injecting the vacuum arc metal plasma into the trap--axial injection from a miniature arc source located on-axis near the microwave window, and radial injection from sources mounted radially at the midplane of the trap. Here, we describe preliminary results of heating vacuum arc plasma in a cusp magnetic trap by pulsed (400 μs) high power (up to 100 kW) microwave radiation at 37.5 GHz for the generation of highly charged heavy metal ion beams.

The results of first experiments on the investigation of plasma of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge, sustained by CW radiation of technological gyrotron with frequency 24 GHz are considered. The parameters of nitrogen plasma of ECR discharge in magnetic field up to 1 T were investigated by Langmuir probe in the pressure range 10(-4)-10(-2) mbar under different values of microwave power. Depending on gas pressure and power of microwave radiation, the typical temperature and density of electrons could attain values of 1-5 eV and 10(11)-10(12) cm(-3), respectively. The prospects for using of ECR discharge for plasma chemical decomposition of silicon tetrafluoride (SiF(4)) have been experimentally demonstrated. Plasma was created from SiF(4) and hydrogen (H(2)) gas mixture and heated by microwave radiation in ECR conditions. Using the method of mass-spectrometry analysis of the gas at the outlet from the reactor and the weighting method, the content of the resultants of SiF(4) decomposition as a function of process parameters was investigated. It was shown that SiF(4) decomposition degree strongly depends on the microwave power, gas pressure in the reactor, gas flow rates, and can attain the value of 50%. The possible applications of PECVD method based on ECR discharge for production of isotopically pure elements with high deposition rate are discussed., (© 2011 American Institute of Physics)

A high current, multi charged, metal ion source using electron heating of vacuum arc plasma by high power gyrotron radiation has been developed. The plasma is confined in a simple mirror trap with peak magnetic field in the plug up to 2.5 T, mirror ratio of 3-5, and length variable from 15 to 20 cm. Plasma formed by a cathodic vacuum arc is injected into the trap either (i) axially using a compact vacuum arc plasma gun located on axis outside the mirror trap region or (ii) radially using four plasma guns surrounding the trap at midplane. Microwave heating of the mirror-confined, vacuum arc plasma is accomplished by gyrotron microwave radiation of frequency 75 GHz, power up to 200 kW, and pulse duration up to 150 micros, leading to additional stripping of metal ions by electron impact. Pulsed beams of platinum ions with charge state up to 10+, a mean charge state over 6+, and total (all charge states) beam current of a few hundred milliamperes have been formed.