Multichannel energy analysis of the ion flux from a theta pinch

The ion flux parallel to the axis of a linear theta pinch (p ₀=10–30 μ D₂) is analyzed by a new 10-channel energy spectrometer (E=1–10keV). Time resolved energy spectra were measured in each single discharge. It can be shown experimentally that neutral gas, electrons and magnetic fields considerably influence the flux distribution. The measured energy spectra (E≦15 keV) are broad and have no ion groups. At 10 μ D₂ dn/dE is proportional to exp {?E/ē} forE≧3 keV, whereē≈1 keV. For 10, 20 and 30 μ D₂ ē is about equal to thekT deduced from the neutron flux. The time developments of the neutron and ion fluxes (in the range 1–10 keV) are correlated. For the initial phase of the discharge the measuring results are incompatible with relaxation by Coulomb collisions. It seems rather, that there is anomalously fast relaxation due to a microinstability. After the anomalous relaxation the end losses, particularly of the slower ions, continue as a result of Coulomb collisions. This produces increasing distortion of theE-distribution with smallE, which leads to a second microinstability with loss of energetic ions in particular (probably a loss-cone type).     

Computer simulation of atomic mixing during ion bombardment

The atomic mixing in the target under ion bombardment is assumed to result from cascades of atomic collision events. Computer simulations have been applied to collision cascades to estimate the depth resolution of surface analysis with an ion probe. The Monte Carlo method based on a single scattering model has been used mainly in the calculation under the assumptions of random collision process, no diffusion and no target saturation processes. High-energy collisions are characterized by a Lenz-Jensen or a Thomas-Fermi potential, while a Born-Mayer potential is used in the low energy region. The simulations have been performed for the bombardment of Ar ions withE ₀=5 keV and 10 keV at angles of incidence θ=0° and 60° on Si targets. The depth resolutions [the definition of which is explained by (15) in the text] are about 140Å for the Lenz-Jensen cross section and about 80Å for the Thomas-Fermi one for θ=0° atE ₀=5 keV, and decrease by 20–40% at θ=60° and increase by 70–90% forE ₀=10 keV.     

Low energy resonances in21Ne(p,γ)22Na examined with a high energy resolution ion beam

TheE _R=126, 272 and 291 keV resonances in the²¹Ne(p, γ)²²Na reaction have been investigated with a high-energy-resolution ion beam. TheE _R=272 keV resonance was found to consist of two states separated by (888+5) eV, where the lower (higher) energy member is a high-spin (low-spin) state. All four resonances have widths less than a few eV, which is an improvement of nearly two orders of magnitude below previously reported limits. The influence of atomic effects on the determination of the correct value for the resonance energy is examined.     

Study of the angular and energy distributions of Na+ and K+ ions which have passed through thin copper films

The angular and energy distributions of alkaline Na⁺ and K⁺ ions which have passed through thin Cu films in different crystal states are studied. The ion energy E₀ is varied from 10 to 40 keV, and the incidence angle. ranges from 0° to 60°. The angular aperture of the detector is ～0.5°, which allows the form of the angular distribution of ions which have passed through the solid thin films as a function of the energy, the angle of primary-ion beam incidence, and the layer thickness to be studied in detail. It is shown that, in the range E₀ = 10.40 keV, the energy loss ΔE of those ions that have passed increases linearly as the energy of incident ions increases. The energy loss increases with increasing ion mass in the case of singly charged ions. The surface amorphization of single- and polycrystalline films leads to an increase (by 150–200 eV) in the energy loss caused by the diffuse propagation of ions and to loss-peak broadening. It is probable that surface amorphization is accompanied by an increase in the number of atoms experiencing multiple collisions with atoms of the film, which leads to an increase in the average energy loss by ions that have passed through films.     

Energy loss of tens keV charged particles traveling in the hot dense carbon plasma

The energy loss of charged particles, including electrons, protons, and α-particles with tens keV initial energy E0, traveling in the hot dense carbon(C) plasma for densities from 2.281 to 22.81 g/cm3 and temperatures from 400 to 1500 eV is systematically and quantitatively studied by using the dimensional continuation method. The behaviors of different charged particles are readily distinguishable from each other. Firstly, because an ion is thousands times heavier than an electron, the penetration distance of the electron is much longer than that of proton and α-particle traveling in the plasma. Secondly, most energy of electron projectile with E0 100 keV deposits into the electron species of C plasma, while for the cases of proton and α-particle with E0 100 keV,about more than half energy transfers into the ion species of C plasma. A simple decreasing law of the penetration distance as a function of the plasma density is fitted, and different behaviors of each projectile particle can be clearly found from the fitted data.We believe that with the advanced progress of the present experimental technology, the findings shown here could be confirmed in ion-stopping experiments in the near future.     

On the energy spectra of secondary ions emitted from silicon and graphite single crystals

Secondary ion emission from silicon and graphite single crystals bombarded by argon ions with energies E ₀ varied from 1 to 10 keV at various angles of incidence α has been studied. The evolution of the energy spectra of C⁺ and Si⁺ secondary ions has been traced in which the positions of maxima (E _max) shift toward higher secondary-ion energies E ₁ with increasing polar emission angle θ (measured from the normal to the sample surface). The opposite trend has been observed for ions emitted from single crystals heated to several hundred degrees Centigrade; the E _max values initially remain unchanged and then shift toward lower energies E ₁ with increasing angle θ. It is established that the magnitude and position of a peak in the energy spectrum of secondary C⁺ ions is virtually independent of E ₀, angle α, and the surface relief of the sample (in the E ₀ and α intervals studied). Unusual oscillating energy distributions are discussed, which have been observed for secondary ions emitted from silicon (111) and layered graphite (0001) faces. Numerical simulations of secondary ion sputtering and charge exchange have been performed. A comparison of the measured and calculated data for graphite crystals has shown that C⁺ ions are formed as a result of charge exchange between secondary ions and bombarding Ar⁺ ions, which takes place both outside and inside the target. This substantially differs from the ion sputtering process in metals and must be taken into account when analyzing secondary ion emission mechanisms and in practical applications of secondary-ion mass spectrometry.     

Features of the energy distribution of secondary particles upon the ion bombardment of graphite

The secondary emission of carbon atoms from the (0001) plane of graphite nanocrystallites bombarded with argon ions with energies of 1 and 10 keV and the incidence angle α = 45° is investigated. The unusual oscillating energy distributions of secondary C⁺ ions with main maxima E _max in the range of 40–60 eV and peaks corresponding to the energies E ₁ ≈ 20, 30, 70, 80, and 100 eV have been revealed. The C⁺ ion yield decreases, the energy spectrum increases, and the maximum E _max shifts to larger energies E ₁ with increasing emission angle (with respect to the normal to the surface). The secondary-ion emission from the (0001) face of graphite is numerically simulated with allowance for the charge exchange of secondary ions to obtain a qualitative explanation of the observed results.     

Analysis of arsenic range distributions in silicon

MeV⁴He ion backscattering and differential sheet resistivity measurements were made on As implants into silicon at room temperature. Analysis of backscattering measurements yields the projected rangeR _p and projected standard deviation ΔR _p . Over the energy range of 50 to 250 keV, the values ofR _p are found to agree well with LSS theoretical predictions; however, values of ΔR _p are systematically higher than theoretical calculations. Backscattering and differential sheet resistivity measurements on samples annealed at 950°C are in general agreement and indicate diffusional broadening of the profile.     

Spatial-temporal ion structures in the earth’s magnetotail: Beamlets as a result of nonadiabatic impulse acceleration of the plasma

The properties of high-energy ion beams (beamlets) observed in the boundary layer of the plasma sheet of the Earth’s magnetotail during short time intervals (1–2 min) have been considered. Beamlets are induced by nonlinear impulse accelerating processes occurring in the current sheet of the far regions of the geomagnetic tail. Then, moving toward the Earth along the magnetic field lines, they are detected in the magnetotail (in the plasma sheet boundary layer) and in the high-latitude part of the auroral zone in the form of short bursts of high-energy ions (with energies of several tens of keVs). The size of the localization region of the beamlets in the magnetotail and auroral zone has been determined by the epoch-superposition method, and it has been shown that beamlets are concentrated in a narrow region near the plasma sheet boundary, whose latitude size is no more than 0.8δ. This conclusion corroborates the theoretical prediction that the nonadiabatic resonant acceleration of ions occurs in a spatially localized region near the separatrix separating the open magnetic field lines and closed field lines, which contain the hot and isotropic plasmas of the plasma sheet. Based on the CLUSTER multisatellite measurements, the spatial structure of beamlets is analyzed and it has been found that the Alfvén wave arises due to the excitation of fire-hose instability at the instant of the exit of the ion beam from the current sheet to the high-latitude region of the far tail of the Earth’s magnetosphere. The longitudinal (along the magnetic field) and transverse sizes of a beamlet are estimated. It has been found that the beamlet is a dynamic plasma structure whose longitudinal size is several hundred times larger than its transverse size.     

Interaction of low energy (5–10 keV) argon atoms and ions with a Cu(100) surface; Ion fraction,ionization and neutralization

The ion fractions η⁺ of low energy (5–10 keV) argon particles scattered from a Cu(100) surface, are measured with a time of flight spectrometer. Neutral as well as charged projectiles are used. The scattering angle θ is 30°. The results for different angles of incidence ψ and crystal directions are reported. For scattering in the 〈100〉 direction, with a ψ-value of 15° and a primary energy E₀ of 5 and 10 keV, the ion fractions for the quasi single scattering peak, η⁺_QS, are 1.5 and 6.1% respectively. When E₀ is between 5 and 10 keV a reionization process with a constant reionization probability occurs during the violent interaction. This process, but also neutralization along the outgoing trajectory, determines η⁺_QS. With ions as projectiles, an energy difference of about 16 eV is observed between the quasi single scattering peaks in the spectra of all scattered particles and of ions only. The ion fraction for the quasi double scattering peak, η⁺_QD. depends largely upon E₀, indicating that the efficiency of the reionization process increases with E₀. A qualitative discussion of the data is given, using the reionization process and the interatomic neutralization processes along the trajectory of the scattered particles.     

Scaling of the energy of ion beams in the low-altitude plasma sheet boundary layer

The scaling of the energy of ion beams (beamlets) in resonance regions of the low-altitude plasma sheet boundary layer has been analyzed using the measurements made on the Interball-2 and Cluster satellites at distances of 3.0 to 6.0 Earth’s radii and numerical simulations of the acceleration of ions in the current sheet of the Earth’s magnetotail. The experimental test of the previously theoretically predicted scaling W _N ∼ N ^A (where W _N is the energy at the Nth resonance and A ∼ 1.33) shows that the real scaling of resonance energies varies in a wide range A ∈ [0.61, 1.75] and is independent of the geomagnetic indices K _p and AE. Model calculations with allowance for an electric field E _z perpendicular to the current sheet are in good agreement with the experimental data. They indicate that the scaling increases in the case of the dominance of the ion current and decreases in the case of the dominance of the electron current (A > 1.33 and A < 1.33, respectively).     

Mass spectrometry of neutral molecules sputtered from polycrystalline metals by Ar+-ions of 100–1000 eV

The flux of neutral particles sputtered from clean polycrystalline targets of 11 metals has been studied by mass spectrometry after being postionized in a low pressure hf plasma. Besides atoms Me₁, postionized metal molecules Me₂ and Me₃ have been detected. The energyE ₀ of the bombarding Ar⁺ ions has been varied between 100 and 1000 eV. Considering the different plasma influences, an attempt is made to obtain the initial composition of the beam of sputtered neutrals from the ratiosR ₂₁ andR ₃₁ of postionized molecules Me₂ and Me₃ to postionized atoms, Me₁, respectively. The influence of the bombarding energyE ₀ onR ₂₁ has been measured for all target elements, onR ₃₁ for Pd and Ag. The yields of Me₂ atE ₀=1 keV approximately appear to be proportional to the square of the total sputtering yieldS for the different target materials. This behaviour and the energy dependence ofR ₂₁ andR ₃₁ are discussed in view of a possible molecule formation process in sputtering.     

Low energy (E0 < 10 keV) atom and ion scattering of neon from a Cu(100) surface; Ionization and neutralization

The ion fractions η⁺ of low energy (5–10 keV) neon particles scattered from a Cu(100) surface are measured with a time of flight spectrometer. These fractions are obtained for neutral as well as charged projectiles and for different crystal directions. The scattering angle θ was 30°. For a primary energy E₀ of 5 keV neutral projectiles have a value for η⁺ which is 30 times lower than for charged projectiles; these values are 0.15 and 4.5% respectively. For E₀ = 10 keV the values of η⁺ are about the same (~22%). Energy differences up to 22 eV, depending on E₀, are observed between the single scattering peaks in the ion spectra of charged and neutral projectiles but also between the single scattering peak in the spectra of all scattered particles and of ions, with ions as projectiles. A qualitative discussion of these data is given, involving charge transfer processes of noble gas particle and target atom. The data suggest that these neutralization processes can be described more adequately with interatomic neutralization processes along the trajectory than with Auger neutralization by conduction electrons.     

Laser-produced copper ion energy spectrum employing Thomson scattering technique

Investigations were performed on laser-assisted ion emission when a copper target was irradiated with a Nd:YAG laser (1.064 μm 10 mJ and 1.1 MW). Charge states present in the ion core emitted from plasma were determined employing Faraday cup arrangement using a four-channel 500 MHz Digital Storage Oscilloscope YOKOGAWA DL 1740. The Thomson parabola scattering (TPS) technique was used to measure the energy of ions emitted from plasma. Singly charged positive ions were found to be in excessive amount. For the energy analysis, the ion beam was collimated using a pinhole arrangement. The collimated beam was then made to pass through a uniform magnetic field of 0.4 T. A solid-state nuclear track detector PM-355 was used to register the ion tracks. The energy of ions, found to be in the range of 9–50 keV. The ion energy spectra d ² N/dEdΩ show a decreasing trend with increasing ion energy. The empirical relation dN/dE ∞ E ^?n fits well with the experimental data at higher values of energy, i.e., greater than 20 keV.     

Formation of the spectra of multiply charged ions from the plasma of Nd-doped glass irradiated with a neodymium laser

The effect of neodymium ions on laser-induced glass destruction and the formation of the spectra of laser plasma ions is studied by the mass-spectrometric and optical-microscopy methods. As the Nd ion concentration increases, the degree of laser-induced damage in silicate glass increases, the threshold intensity for the glass destruction decreases, the maximum ion charge number Z_max and the maximum ion energy E_max decrease, and the energy spectra of target ions change. All this is related to both the coincidence between the lasing lines and the absorption bands of Nd ions and the intensifi cation of recombination processes in the multicomponent laser plasma.     

Registration of accelerated multiply charged ions from the cathode jet of a vacuum discharge

The parameters of Cuⁿ⁺ and Taⁿ⁺ ions from the plasma of a vacuum spark with a voltage up to 2.5 kV and a current rise rate up to 2 × 10¹⁰ A/s are studied using the time-of-flight method. At the initial stage of the discharge, bursts of beams of accelerated multiply charged ions from the cathode flame have been detected. It is established that the charge state distribution and energy of a beam are controlled by the initial voltage U ₀ of the capacitor. Upon an increase in this voltage, the average charge of copper ions attains the value +9, and the average charge of tantalum ions can be as high as +20, while the energy attains values of 150 and 350 keV, respectively. It is found that the average energy of ions with charge Z increases in proportion to the charge and is close to the energy eZU ₀ which would have been acquired by ions accelerated in the electric field of the discharge gap.     

Preliminary results of the study of the d(d,n)3He reaction in the astrophysical energy range with the use of a Hall plasma accelerator

The possibility of using a plasma accelerator based on a pulsed Hall ion source to study the characteristics of pd, dd, d³He, ³He, and⁴He reactions in the astrophysical energy range (2–12 keV) has been considered. The preliminary experimental data on measurement of the astrophysical S factor for the dd reaction (dd → ³He + n (2.5 MeV)) at average deuteron collision energies E _col = 4.5 and 4.95 keV and the deuteron beam energy spread FWHM = 18% are reported. The found value of the S factor is in agreement with the results of the experiments carried out by us previously using linear plasma in the inverse Z-pinch configuration.     

Protons and carbon ions acceleration in the target-normal-sheath-acceleration regime using low-contrast fs laser and metal-graphene targets

fs pulsed lasers at an intensity of the order of 10¹⁸ W/cm², with a contrast of 10⁻⁵, were employed to irradiate thin foils to study the target-normal-sheath-acceleration (TNSA) regime. The forward ion acceleration was investigated using 1/11 µm thickness foils composed of a metallic sheet on which a thin reduced graphene oxide film with 10 nm thickness was deposited by single or both faces. The forward-accelerated ions were detected using SiC semiconductors connected in time-of-flight configuration. The use of intense and long pre-pulse generating the low contrast does not permit to accelerate protons above 1 MeV because it produces a pre-plasma destroying the foil, and the successive main laser pulse interacts with the expanding plasma and not with the overdense solid surface. Experimental results demonstrated that the maximum proton energies of about 700 keV and of 4.2 MeV carbon ions and higher were obtained under the condition of the optimal acceleration procedure. The measurements of ion energy and charge states confirm that the acceleration per charge state is measurable from the proton energy, confirming the Coulomb–Boltzmann-shifted theoretical model. However, heavy ions cannot be accelerated due to their mass and low velocity, which does not permit them to be subjected to the fast and high developed electric field driving the light-ion acceleration. The ion acceleration can be optimized based on the laser focal positioning and on the foil thickness, composition, and structure, as it will be presented and discussed.     

Photoluminescence and optical properties of He ion bombarded ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene

Ion bombardment is a suitable tool to improve the physical and chemical properties of polymer surface. In this study UHMWPE samples were bombarded with 130 keV He ions to the fluences ranging from 1 × 10¹² to 1 × 10¹⁶ cm⁻². The untreated and ion beam modified samples were investigated by photoluminescence, and ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy. Remarkable decrease in integrated luminescence intensity with increasing ion fluences was observed. The reduction in PL intensity with increase of ion fluence might be attributed to degradation of polymer surface and formation of defects. The effect of ion fluence on the optical properties of the bombarded surfaces was characterized. The values of the optical band gap E_g, and activation energy E_a were determined from the optical absorption. The width of the tail of the localized states in the band gap (E_a) was evaluated using the Urbach edge method. With increasing ion fluences a decrease in both the energy gap and the activation energy were observed. Increase in the numbers of carbon atoms (N) in a formed cluster with increasing the He ion fluence was observed.     

Ion beam induced atomic transport in bilayer systems

Atomic transport in ion beam mixed Co/Pt and Pd/Au bilayer systems have been studied from the shifts of maker layers in Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy. Thin layers (1 nm) of marker (Pd for Co/Pt and Ni for Pd/Au) were embedded as markers at each interfaces. 80 keV Ar⁺ was used to irradiate the marker samples at the temperature range between 90 and 600 K. The Co/Pt system shows isotropic atomic transport (J_Co/J_Pt∼1.1) at low temperatures and anisotropic atomic transport (J_Co/J_Pt∼5.0) at high temperatures. Meanwhile, the Pd/Au system shows near isotropic atomic transport (J_Pd/J_Au∼1.2) at all temperatures examined. These results were discussed in terms of the activation energies for the normal impurity diffusion, cohesive energy difference, and the vacancy migration energy. Atomic transport in thermal spike regime is closely related with the activation energy for normal impurity diffusion. In radiation enhanced diffusion regime, the cohesive energy and/or the vacancy migration energy plays a dominant role for the atomic transport.