Extraction and profile analysis of hydrogen-like helium ions in a magnetized sheet plasma

Abstract

The extraction of He+ ions from a magnetized sheet plasma source is reported. Optimum detection and extraction of He+ ions were conducted using an E×B probe as a mass analyzer. The effect of the probe’s extraction potential, its position relative to the center of the core plasma, gas filling pressure, and discharge conditions in the production and extraction of He+ ions were investigated. The He+ ion current density yield of 8 μA/cm2 was optimum at plasma discharge current of 1.5 A within the vicinity of 5–7 cm from the sheet plasma core. Investigations also show the predominance of detected He++ species. At higher pressures, the formation of molecular helium ions He+2 were observed. The He+ current yield decreases as the plasma current is increased according to the modified Saha population density equation of the collisional-radiative model.