Characterization of a high-intensity bipolar-mode pulsed ion source for surface modification of materials

A high-intensity pulsed ion source of TEMP-type series, operating in bipolar mode, has been developed as a unique pulsed energy source to produce a high-intensity pulsed ion beam (HIPIB) for surface modification of materials. To generate the ion beam, a specially shaped bipolar pulse, consisting of a first negative pulse and a second delayed positive pulse both of nanosecond width, is formed by a double coaxial pulse-forming line (PFL) powered with a Marx generator and supplied to a magnetically insulated ion diode (MID) by a self-magnetic field. It is found that the efficient generation of a HIPIB is mainly dependent on the delay time of the bipolar pulse, adjusted by pressure ratio in the two gas switches of a PFL, and the anode–cathode (A–K) gap distance in the self-magnetic field MID. The delay time determines the effective area on the anode surface for plasma generation and the A–K gap distance ensures the stability of the process. A proper delay time and a proper A–K gap distance are obtained by a series of experimental investigations. Under delay time from 30 to 280 ns and several different A–K gap distances, the typical wave forms of the bipolar pulses at a dc charging voltage of 45 kV to Marx generator are illustrated to clarify the effects of delay time and A–K gap distance on the ion beam generation. The proper A–K gap distance is not uniform, varied from 6 to 8 mm, and the corresponding proper delay time is 250 ns. The most efficient plasma generation leads to a maximum output of HIPIB with a peak ion current density of 350 A cm−2 and a beam pulse width of 75 ns (full width at half maximum), at an accelerating pulse of 220 kV with a pulse width of 100 ns.