Optimization of plasma grid material in cesium-seeded volume negative-ion sources.

In cesium-seeded hydrogen negative-ion sources, surface production on the plasma grid plays an important role in negative ion production. To enhance the surface, it is required to use material that would give a lower work function when Cs is absorbed on the surface. In a semicylindrical and cesium-seeded volume negative-ion source, eight materials (W, Cu, Mo, V, Cr, Ni, Ag, and Au) were tested as candidates for the plasma grid material. To avoid deposition of the cathode material on these materials, a filament-free plasma source was used, to fire the microwave (2.45 GHz) discharge in the Kamaboko source. The material surface was examined by measuring the photoelectron current by laser irradiation. It was observed that the discharge enhanced the photoelectron current when the material was biased negatively to the plasma potential during discharge. In the present experiment, Ni, Au, and Ag surfaces with a Cs layer showed a higher photoelectron current than the others. This was 1.5 times larger than that of Cu and W used as a plasma grid and filament in conventional high current negative ion sources. It is expected that higher negative-ion production efficiency would be obtained by using Ni, Ag, and Au as the plasma grid material, if deposition of filament materials is avoided on the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]