Lifetime measurement in138Ba+ using superimposed ion and laser beams

As a feasibility test for nanosecond time resolution in the superimposed beam geometry, we remeasured the lifetime of the 6p ²P_3/2 level of¹³⁸Ba⁺ by a new technique. Merging an accelerated ion beam with an argon laser beam, optical resonance was achieved over a very short path length by Doppler tuning the ion velocity within a short post acceleration zone. The final results is τ=(6.31±0.05) ns which is in good agreement with a previous high precision measurement by Andrä. Implications for the possible observation of coherent transient effects in fast ion beams are briefly discussed.     

Collisional radiative model for the M1 transition spectrum of the highly-charged W54+ ions

A detailed-level collisional-radiative model for the M1 transition spectrum of the Ca-like W⁵⁴⁺ ion as observed in an electron beam ion trap (EBIT) was constructed based on atomic data calculated by the relativistic configuration interaction method and distorted wave theory. The present calculated transition energy, rate and intensity of W⁵⁴⁺ M1 transitions are compared with previous theoretical and experimental values. The results are in reasonable agreement with the available experimental and theoretical data. The synthetic spectrum explained the EBIT spectrum in the 12–20 nm region, while a new possibly strong transition has been predicted to be observable with an appropriate electron beam energy. The present work provides accurate atomic data that may be used in plasma diagnostics applications.     

Gas mixture effects on ion‐beam flux characteristics from dense plasma focus device: Investigation by the Vlasov–Maxwell equations and experiments

The Vlasov–Maxwell equations were numerically solved to calculate the ion‐beam flux from the plasma of argon and the plasma of mixtures of argon and neon. Some experiments were performed to measure the ion beam from the Amirkabir plasma focus (APF) device. The calculations have shown that the argon ion‐beam flux peaked up to 1.928 × 10³⁰ ions m^?2 s^?1 at the optimum pressure of 1.866 mbar while the neon‐argon mixture's ion‐beam flux reached a maximum of 4.301 × 10³⁰ ions m^?2 s^?1 for 15% neon admixture at the optimum pressure of 1.866 mbar. The calculated kinetic energy of the ion beam has shown a maximum value of 708.7 J for the mixture of 85% argon‐15% neon at the mentioned optimum pressure.     

Milliampere He2+ beam generator using a compact GHz ECRIS

Multi-charged helium ion beam He2+ is useful for helium accelerator to obtain a higher energy with lower cost and for deuterium accelerator to avoid neutron activation during machine commissioning.An attempt to generate milliampere multi-charged helium He2+ion beam with a 2.45 GHz electron cyclotron resonance ion source(ECRIS) was tested recently.A design using a specfic permanent magnet 2.45 GHz ECRIS(PMECRIS) source(ERCIS) is reported and the He2+beam production ability is described.With this source,we produced a total helium beam of 40 mA at 40 kV with 180 W of net microwave power and a gas flow of less than 0.5 sccm.At steady state the He2+beam intensity is 4.4 mA,that being the fraction of multi-charged helium ion beam is at approximately 11%.     

Mechanism for the influence of the geometric parameters on the electrical characteristics of Penning ion sources

A steady-state Penning ion source is studied experimentally. Depending on the geometric parameter l _a (the anode length to diameter ratio) and pressure, maxima are observed in the discharge current and in the ion beam current extracted from an aperture at the center of the cathode. It is shown that at pressures of the order of 10⁻⁴ Torr, two maxima appear in these currents: one, for short discharge gaps with l _a =1–1.5, corresponds to a diverging ion beam, and the other, for longer anodes with l _a =4–5, to a collimated ion beam. At pressures of the order of 10⁻⁵ Torr, only one maximum appears in these currents, for short anodes l _a =2–3 with a diverging ion beam. A physical explanation is proposed for these findings. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 68, 29–32 (September 1998)     

Weak Interaction Studies Using a Paul Trap

New developments in ion cooling and ion bunching allow the trapping of radioactive ions from a low energy beam, in a very short time scale and with very good efficiency. The performances of Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) coolers, recently developed in several laboratories in Europe and USA, are now better known. In the present study, a RFQ device will be used to inject ⁶He⁺ ions in a transparent Paul trap. The ion beam will be delivered by the SPIRAL facility at GANIL. The careful measurement of the β-recoil ion coincidence spectrum is sensitive to the angular correlation parameter a, which depends on the coupling constants of the weak hamiltonian. It should be equal to −1/3 if the interaction is only of axial vector type (V-A theory). Deviation from this value would imply a new tensor-like interaction involving a new exchange boson thus introducing new physics beyond the Standard Model. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

26 Al beam production by a solid state laser ion source at TRIUMF

Many experiments carried out at radioactive beam facilities require the production of intense, isotopically clean and isobar free beams of a particular isotope. At TRIUMF the addition of a resonant ionization laser ion source (TRILIS) enables a multitude of new beams and therefore new experiments to be carried out. ²⁶Al was one of the first radioactive ion beams delivered to an experiment using TRILIS. This paper outlines the development of the ²⁶Al ion beam for nuclear astrophysics.      

Method for modifying the structure and elemental composition of the solid surface during a high-voltage vacuum discharge

A new method for modifying the surface of a solid, which makes it possible to change effectively the structure and elemental composition of the surface with a high precision, is developed and tested experimentally. The method is based on the action of the plasma of a pulsed high-voltage vacuum discharge, the ion beam from the plasma, and the electron beam on a solid target. The emission and plasma parameters are observed in a pulsed electric field produced in the diode system to which a pulsed voltage with an amplitude of ～10³–10⁵ V and a duration from 10^?9 to 10^?5 s is applied.     

MeV carbon ion irradiation-induced changes in the electrical conductivity of silver nanowire networks

MeV carbon ion irradiation-induced changes in the electrical conductivity of Silver nanowire (Ag-NW) networks is demonstrated systematically at different C⁺ ion fluences ranging from 1 × 10¹² to 1 × 10¹⁶ ions/cm² at room temperature. At low C⁺ ion fluences, the electrical conductivity of Ag-NWs decreases and subsequently increases with increase fluence. Finally, at high C⁺ ion fluences, conductivity again decreases. The variation in the electrical conductivity of Ag NW network is discussed after analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The observed increase in electrical conductivity is thought to be due to ion induced coalescence of Ag-NWs at contact position, which causes reduction of wire–wire contact resistance, while the decrease in electrical conductivity may be due to defect production by C⁺ ions into Ag-NWs. Ion beam technology is therefore a very promising technology that is capable of fabricating highly conductive Ag-NW networks for transparent electrodes. Moreover, a method for thinning, slicing and cutting of Ag-NWs using ion beam technology is also reported.     

Hydrogen depth profiling using18O ions

Nuclear resonant reaction analysis techniques for hydrogen depth profiling in solid materials typically have used¹⁵N ion beams at 6.40 MeV and¹⁹F ion beams at 6.42 MeV, which require a tandem accelerator. We report a new technique using an¹⁸O ion beam at a resonance energy of 2.70 MeV, which requires only a single stage accelerator. Improved values of the nuclear parameters for the 2.70 MeV (¹⁸O) and 6.40 MeV (¹⁵N) resonances are reported. The beam energy spread was investigated for different ions and ion charge states and found to scale with the charge state. Data obtained using atomic and molecular gas targets reveal the research potential of Doppler spectroscopy. Examples of hydrogen depth profiling in solid materials using¹⁵N and¹⁸O ion beams are presented.     

Wave-particle duality of solitons and solitonic analog of the Ramsauer-Townsend effect

We study the interaction of light beams carrying angular momentum with a single, trapped and well localized ion. We provide a detailed calculation of selection rules and excitation probabilities for quadrupole transitions. The results show the dependencies on the angular momentum and polarization of the laser beam as well as the direction of the quantization magnetic field. In order to optimally observe the specific effects, focusing the angular momentum beam close to the diffraction limit is required. We discuss a protocol for examining experimentally the effects on the S_1/2 to D_5/2 transition using a ⁴⁰Ca⁺ ion. Various applications and advantages are expected when using light carrying angular momentum: in quantum information processing, where qubit states of ion crystals are controlled, parasitic light shifts could be avoided as the ion is excited in the dark zone of the beam at zero electric field amplitude. Such interactions also open the door to high dimensional entanglement between light and matter. In spectroscopy one might access transitions which have escaped excitation so far due to vanishing transition dipole moments.     

Improvement of the Applicability, Efficiency, andPrecision of the Penning Trap Mass Spectrometer ISOLTRAP

With the Penning trap mass spectrometer ISOLTRAP, close to 200 nuclides have already been investigated and their masses determined with a typical relative precision of δm/m=10⁻⁷. Recently, ISOLTRAP's beam preparation system was replaced by an RFQ ion beam cooler and buncher. The principle and the characteristics of this new beam preparation system will be presented. It is planned to use ions of various carbon clusters C⁺ _n (n>1) as reference ions for mass measurements. Apart from negligible molecular binding energies, these clusters have masses that are exact multiples of the unified atomic mass unit. This will allow ISOLTRAP to carry out absolute mass measurements as well as to investigate possible mass-dependent systematic errors. The results of tests of the production, transport, and trapping of such carbon clusters will be presented. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Evaluation of the magnetic moments of radium isotopes

Using the relativistic linked cluster many-body perturbation procedure we have obtained the hyperfine field at the nucleus of the Ra⁺ ion in the²S_1/2 ground state. There is good agreement between the calculated magnetic moment of²¹³Ra and the results of a recent Zeeman measurement by the collinear laser beam technique. Detailed comparison is carried out between our result and earlier ones.     

Measurement of the transverse Doppler shift using a stored relativistic7Li+ ion beam

We have performed for the first time precision spectroscopy on a coasting fast⁷Li⁺ ion beam in a storage ring. The ion beam moving with 6.4% speed of light was first electron cooled and then merged with two counterpropagating laser beams acting on two different hyperfine transitions sharing a common upper level (λ-system). One laser was frequency locked to thea ₃ ¹²⁷J₂ hfs frequency component established as a secondary frequency standard at 514 nm. The second laser was tuned over theλ-resonance, which was recorded relative to¹²⁷J₂ hfs components. This experiment is sensitive to the time dilation in fast moving frames and will lead to new limits for the verification of special relatively. The present status of the experiment and perspectives in accuracy are discussed.     

Effect of the spiral phase element on the radial-polarization (0, 1) LG beam

Radially-polarized beams can be strongly amplified without significant birefringent-induced aberrations. However, radially-polarized beam is a high-order beam, and therefore has to be transformed into a fundamental Gaussian beam for reduction the beam-propagation factor M². In effort to transform the radially-polarized beam to a nearly-Gaussian beam, we consider effect of a spiral phase element (SPE) on the Laguerre-Gaussian (LG) (0, 1)^∗ beam with radial polarization, and compare this with the case when the input beam is a LG (0, 1)^∗ beam with spiral phase and uniform or random polarization. The LG (0, 1)^∗ beam with radial polarization, despite its identity in intensity profile to the beam with spiral phase, has distinctly different properties when interacting with the SPE. With the SPE and spatial filter, we transformed the radially-polarized (0, 1)^∗ mode with M² = 2.8 to a nearly-Gaussian beam with M² = 1.7. Measured transformation efficiency was 50%, and the beam brightness P/(M²)² was practically unchanged. The SPE affects polarization state of the radially-polarized beam, leading to appearance of spin angular momentum in the beam center at the far-field.     

Effects of evolving surface morphology on yield during focused ion beam milling of carbon

We investigate evolving surface morphology during focused ion beam bombardment of C and determine its effects on sputter yield over a large range of ion dose (10¹⁷-10¹⁹ ions/cm²) and incidence angles (Θ = 0-80°). Carbon bombarded by 20 keV Ga⁺ either retains a smooth sputtered surface or develops one of two rough surface morphologies (sinusoidal ripples or steps/terraces) depending on the angle of ion incidence. For conditions that lead to smooth sputter-eroded surfaces there is no change in yield with ion dose after erosion of the solid commences. However, for all conditions that lead to surface roughening we observe coarsening of morphology with increased ion dose and a concomitant decrease in yield. A decrease in yield occurs as surface ripples increase wavelength and, for large Θ, as step/terrace morphologies evolve. The yield also decreases with dose as rippled surfaces transition to have steps and terraces at Θ = 75°. Similar trends of decreasing yield are found for H₂O-assisted focused ion beam milling. The effects of changing surface morphology on yield are explained by the varying incidence angles exposed to the high-energy beam.     

Positive ion extraction from plasma source and its application in fusion research

Neutral Beam Injection (NBI) is well established technique for heating tokamak plasma and is used in all fusion research programs [1–2]. In our Steady state Superconducting Tokamak (SST) machine [3], neutral hydrogen beam power of 0.5 MW at 30 kV is required to raise plasma ion temperature of ∼1 keV. Future upgrade of the SST will require 1.7 MW of H^o at 55 kV. To fulfill this requirement, an ion extractor system (heart of any NBI system) has been designed to extract 35A H⁺ beam current at 30 kV and of 90 A at 55 kV respectively [4]. In this paper, we have described the physics and ion beam optics study for an ion extraction system suitable for above mentioned long dynamic range of acceleration voltage. The ion beam optics simulation result is used as an input to the engineering design. After fabrication, its performance test has been done. The experimental results are in very good agreement with beam optics simulation.     

Experimental and computational study of the passage of an electron beam through the curvilinear element of the Drakon stellarator system in a tenuous plasma

Results are presented from the first stage of studies on the passage of an electron beam with energy 100–500 eV in a magnetic field of 300–700 Oe through the curvilinear solenoid of the KRéL unit, the latter being a prototype of the closing segment of the Drakon stellarator system, in the plasma-beam discharge regime. The ion density at the end of the curvilinear part of the chamber, n _i ≈8×10⁸–10¹⁰ cm⁻³, the electron temperature T _e ≈4–15 eV, and the positions at which the beam hits the target for different distances from it to the electron source are determined experimentally. The motion of the electron beam is computationally modeled with allowance for the space charge created by the beam and the secondary plasma. From a comparison of the experimentally measured trajectories and trajectories calculated for different values of the space charge, we have obtained an estimate for the unneutralized ion density of the order of 5×10⁷ cm⁻³. Zh. Tekh. Fiz. 69, 22–26 (February 1999)     

Laser ion beam formation for nanotechnologies

It is suggested to generate cold ion beams by laser collimation and subsequent laser ionization of a primary atomic beam. The primary beam, formed by a standard method, is collimated through transverse cooling by resonance laser radiation. Laser radiation is also used for the multistep ionization of atoms in the collimated beam. Advantages of the proposed method are a low scatter of the initial ion energy (below 10^?1 eV) and a high emittance in the region of the virtual source (～10^?6 cm rad at a beam current on the level of microamperes). The high monochromaticity of the obtained ion beam allows the chromatic aberration effect to be significantly suppressed, which implies good prospects for using such sources in ion beam lithography. The proposed method also allows the spectrum of elements used in ion beam sources to be expanded, which is an independent technological advantage.     

Allotropic conversion of carbon-related films by using energy beams

Energy beams, such as ion and laser beams, were employed to convert carbon allotropes into other ones at a specified position because these energy sources can be controlled precisely in time and space. The ion beam deposition technique employing mass-separated ions proved effective in studying the nucleation process by changing several growth parameters (ion species, incident energies, and substrate temperatures). Immersed nanosized diamonds were found in an sp ³-rich amorphous film prepared with 100-eV ¹²C⁺ ions at room temperature. Surrounding these nanodiamonds, regularly arrayed small bumps, “petals,” were formed around the periphery of bald circles upon cooling. Ar-ion laser illumination is effective in designing the array of high luminescent points on a C₆₀ film by careful control of the laser power, and the combination of a micro-Raman spectrometer with a piezoscanning system provides one with a tool for 2-dimensional processing of photosensitive materials. Simultaneous bombardment during C₆₀ evaporation results in an interesting pattern formation specific to the simultaneous treatment. The dependence of the surface nanoscale pattern on the ion energy and the substrate temperatures provides one with a new tool for designing nanoscale functional materials. As an extreme, the appearance of hexagonal diamonds was detected with disordered carbon and graphite under the condition of there being a high ratio between the Ne ion beam and the C₆₀ thermal beam.