CESIUM ION BEAM NEUTRALIZATION IN VEHICULAR SIMULATION.

Abstract

A series of experiments are described which relate to the charge neutralization of a broad cesium ion beam under circumstances which simulate the conditions of space. This was accomplished by the use of pulsed beams and by the control of the boundary conditions in such a manner as to reduce to an extremely low level the electric fields between these boundaries and the ejected plasma. The period of ion turn-around was reduced to values below the present limits of measurement (approx. 1 micro-sec). The ejected plasma was found to possess a high degree of overall neutrality. The fraction of ions which were matched by the presence of an electron equaled or exceeded 0.998. The plasma was well neutralized on a point-by-point basis. It was also demonstrated that for fixed ion source perveance the neutralization is independent of the acceleration voltage.

Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 1961
Accession Number
AD0610427

Entities

People

  • J. M. Sellen
  • R. F. Kemp

Organizations

  • TRW Inc.

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundaries
  • California
  • Charged Particles
  • Electric Fields
  • Electrons
  • Ion Beams
  • Ion Sources
  • Ions
  • Measurement
  • Neutralization
  • Simulations

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Mathematics or Statistics
  • Plasma Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Microelectronics
  • Space
  • Space - Hall-Effect Thruster