Vacuum-Spark Metal Ion Source Based on a Modified Marx Generator

The plasma generating parts of ion sourcesincluding their power supplies are usually floated tohigh potential (ion extraction voltage), thus requiringgreat insulation efforts and high costs for high-energyion beams. A new concept for pulsed ion sources ispresented in which a single power supply is used tosimultaneously produce the plasma and high extractorvoltage via a modified Marx generator. Proof-ofprincipleexperiments have been performed with highcurrentspark discharges in vacuum where multiplycharged ions are produced with this Marx-generatorbased ion source ("Magis"). Using "Magis", it hasbeen demonstrated that pulsed iol) beams of very highenergies can be obtained with relatively low voltage.For copper, ion of charge states up to 7+ have beenfound whose energy was 112 keY for a chargingvoltage of only 10 kV.