On optimization of the metal ion production by Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources

TL;DR

This paper uses a 3D model to optimize metal ion production in an Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source, demonstrating how axial injection improves ion currents and efficiency.

Contribution

The study introduces a detailed 3D NAM-ECRIS model that accurately reproduces experimental data and optimizes metal vapor injection parameters for enhanced ion production.

Findings

Axial injection increases highly charged calcium ion currents by 1.5 times.

Internal plasma barriers improve ion extraction and production efficiency.

Injecting singly-charged ions offers benefits over atomic injection.

Abstract

The three-dimensional NAM-ECRIS model is applied for studying the metal ion production in the DECRIS-PM Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source. Experimentally measured extracted ion currents are accurately reproduced with the model. Parameters of the injection of metal vapors into the source are optimized. It is found that the axial injection of the highly directional fluxes allows increasing the extracted ion currents of the highly charged calcium ions by factor of 1.5. The reason for the gain in the currents is formation of internal barrier for the ions inside the plasma, which increase the ion extraction and production efficiency. Benefits of injecting the singly-charged calcium ions instead of atoms are discussed.