PHOTORESONANT PLASMA AS AN EMITTER OF NEGATIVE-IONS

A new method of negative ion beam production is examined. We propose the use of the photoresonant plasma created in a mixture of an electronegative gas and alkaline metal vapor as an emitter of negative ions. It is shown theoretically that practical laser light power can provide the production of negative ion beams with intensities up to 10 mA/cm2. The attaching gases, for example, SF6, CCl4, CFCl3, etc. are considered as the main feed substance. These gases are usually used in up-to-date technologies. The expected advantages of such a method of negative ion beam generation are selective cleanliness of ion beam, low electron swarm, and absence of traditional discharge electrodes.