Pulsed Ion Source for High Beam Current in Ultra-High Vacuum
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ion sources are not optimized for applications requiring high peak ion beam current while maintaining ultra-high vacuum conditions in particle accelerators, often necessitating large vacuum pumps between the ion source and downstream particle accelerator.
Innovation Solution
The development of an ion source that emits intense pulses of ions in the form of a tightly collimated ion beam, designed to operate in conjunction with a particle accelerator, minimizing background gas and maintaining ultra-high vacuum conditions without the need for large vacuum pumps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If existing ion sources are used to generate high peak ion beam current, then the ion beam current is improved, but the background gas load increases requiring large vacuum pumps
Solution Approach 1:
The ion source operates in pulsed mode rather than continuous operation. Ions are extracted in intense short-duration pulses (e.g., nanosecond to microsecond scale), allowing the vacuum system to maintain ultra-high vacuum between pulses while delivering high peak current during the pulse. This periodic operation decouples the peak current requirement from the average gas load.
Solution Approach 2:
Ions are pre-accelerated and pre-focused within the ion source before extraction. The ion source includes pre-acceleration regions and focusing elements that prepare the ion beam in advance, allowing for more efficient extraction with less gas consumption and reduced background load on the downstream vacuum system.
2Productivity
If ion source emits intense ion pulses, then the ion beam intensity is improved, but the ion beam quality (emittance) deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The ion extraction process is divided into multiple stages: ion formation, pre-acceleration, focusing, and final extraction. Each stage is optimized independently to maintain beam quality. The ion source uses segmented electrodes and multiple extraction grids that can be independently controlled to preserve emittance while achieving high intensity in the final beam.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the ion source are optimized for different functions: the ionization region is optimized for high ion production, while the extraction and focusing regions are optimized for beam quality. Electric field distributions are tailored locally in different zones to achieve both high intensity and low emittance simultaneously.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables the efficient generation of high-intensity ion beams with low longitudinal and transverse emittance, effectively addressing the challenge of high peak ion beam current requirements while maintaining ultra-high vacuum conditions in particle accelerators.
Implementation Method 1
an ion source designed to emit intense pulses of ions in the form of a tightly collimated ion beam
Implementation Method 2
The ion source and particle accelerator share the same vacuum chamber, except when an intermediate vacuum gate valve is closed
Data Source
AI summary
A machine, article, process of using, process of making, products produced thereby and necessary intermediates. Illustratively, there can be a process that includes: ionizing at least some injected gas to form ions; confining, without using magnetic fields, at least some of said ions to produce confined ions; accumulating at least some of said confined ions to produce accumulated ions; cooling at least some of said accumulated ions to produce cooled ions; compressing, without using magnetic fields, at least some of said accumulated ions to produce compressed ions; accelerating at least some of said compressed ions to produce accelerated ions; ejecting at least some of said accelerated ions; and measuring at least one property of said ejected ions.