Wave frequency dependence of H- ion production and extraction in a transformer coupled plasma H- ion source at SNU

The effect of rf wave frequencies on the production of H- ion is investigated in a transformer coupled plasma H- ion source at Seoul National University. A Langmuir probe is installed to measure the plasma density and temperature, and these plasma parameters are correlated to the extracted H- beam currents at various frequencies. The Langmuir probe is also used to measure the density of H- ions at the ion source by generating photodetachment with an Nd:YAG laser. The extracted H- currents decrease to a minimum value until 13 MHz and then, increase as the driving frequency increases from 13 MHz while the relative H- population measured by photodetachment monotonically decreases as the driving rf frequency increases from 11 MHz to 15 MHz. A potential well formed at the extraction region at high frequencies of more than 13 MHz is considered responsible for the increased H- beam extraction even with a lower photodetachment signal. The variation in the driving rf frequency not only affects the density and temperature of the plasma but also modifies the plasma potential with the existence of a filtering magnetic field and consequently, influences the extracted H- current through the extraction as well as formation of H- ions. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.3678659]