Determination of the Optimum Design and Extraction Optics for a Glow Discharge Ion Source

Abstract

This work deals with the study of optimal ion optic system for extraction of low current ion beam from plasma ion source based on glow discharge. The study based on experimental investigations and computer simulations results.  Simulation of the nitrogen ion trajectories with the SIMION 3D, version 7.0, package was done to optimize the extraction system of a glow discharge ion source and compared the results with experimental data obtained under the same operational conditions. The simulation investigated the influence of space charge effect  and the extraction gap width that maximize the ion beam current for singly charged nitrogen ions. The experiment measured the input electrical discharge and output ion beam characteristics of the source at different nitrogen pressures. The extractor electrode voltage and the extraction gap width were determined at nitrogen gas of 1×10−3 mbar. The results of the simulation process agreed well with the experimental data.