Lorentz Dissociation of Hydrogen Ions in a Cyclotron

TL;DR

This paper investigates the Lorentz dissociation of hydrogen ions in cyclotrons, providing essential data for optimizing stripping extraction processes and addressing the effects of magnetic fields on ion stability during acceleration.

Contribution

It compiles and summarizes the study of Lorentz dissociation of various hydrogen ions, filling a knowledge gap crucial for cyclotron design and operation.

Findings

Dissociation thresholds for H$^-$, H$_2^+$, and H$_3^+$ ions under cyclotron-like electric fields.

Impact of magnetic field-induced dissociation on ion beam stability.

Guidelines for minimizing Lorentz dissociation in cyclotron design.

Abstract

Stripping extraction of hydrogen molecular ions has gained interest in the cyclotron industry due to its high extraction efficiency. However, the magnetic field could result in undesired Lorentz dissociation of the hydrogen anion/molecular ions during acceleration. Studies of dissociation under electric fields comparable to that of a Lorentz-transformed magnetic field in a typical cyclotron (a few MV/cm) are sparse. Hence, in order to fill in the missing yet crucial information when designing a cyclotron, this work compiles and summarizes the study of Lorentz dissociation of H$^-$, H$_2^+$ and H$_3^+$ for stripping extraction in a cyclotron.