Recent results from the low inductance Z-discharge metal vapor ion source

• Published in: Review of Scientific Instruments 2002-02, Vol.73 (2), p.741-743
• Main Authors: Debolt, N., Hershcovitch, A., Johnson, B. M., Rostoker, N., VanDrie, A., Wessel, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0034-6748; 1089-7623
• DOI: 10.1063/1.1430515

The low inductance Z-discharge metal vapor (LIZ-MeV) ion source, which uses a magnetized Z-pinch, is a pseudo-spark device capable of producing intense currents (several kA) of highly charged gold or other ions. Typical operations produce an extracted charge-state distribution with a range in gold ion charge state from 4 to 19. Time-of-flight (TOF) spectra (excluding contributions from impurities) indicate that charge states at least as high as Au +12 were generated. Various TOF spectra are presented here to support this conclusion. Although the results are preliminary, LIZ-MeV shows great potential. Existing heavy-ion sources can produce either high beam currents, but low charge states (e.g., the metal-vapor vacuum arc) or high charge states, but low beam currents (e.g., the electron beam ion source). For ion beam injection our goal has been to develop an ion source that produces both high charge states and high beam currents. The existing LIZ-MeV has sufficiently large electron impact energies and electron current densities, but performance is limited by charge exchange with ambient gas and short confinement times. Plans are underway to add another Z-pinch stage to both lengthen confinement times and to minimize charge-state reducing processes. Such an enhanced LIZ-MeV should eventually produce even larger currents of more highly ionized heavy metal ions for accelerator applications.