High-Power CO2 Laser System with Repetition Rate Operation for High Current Multicharged Heavy Ion Generations

Experimental and numerical calculation results devoted to development of an optical system for an ion source based on a repetition rate CO₂ laser are described. The laser chain consists of a master oscillator, gas absorber cells, and a four-pass amplifier. The optical system provides smooth laser pulses with variable duration and high spatial quality that ensures efficiency for plasma heating and ion generation. The parameters of the plasma ion component measured in the CERN laboratory are applied for a lead target illumination.     

Effect of purification on the electron structure and field emission characteristics of a carbonaceous material containing single-wall carbon nanotubes

A carbonaceous material containing single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) has been synthesized by arc-discharge evaporation of graphite with a catalytic additive of nickel and cobalt powders. The synthesized SWNTs were purified from an amorphous carbon component (soot) and the catalyst particles by boiling in nitric acid. A comparison of the X-ray fluorescence spectra measured before and after this treatment showed that acid etching significantly decreased the content of soot in the material. The material enriched with SWNTs is characterized by a reduced threshold for the appearance of the field emission current, which is explained by a decrease in the screening effect of soot. The current-voltage characteristics of SWNTs exhibit a hysteresis, which is suggested to be due to the adsorption of molecules and radicals on the surface and at the ends of carbon nanotubes.