Intensive ion beams in the transverse magnetic field of an electromagnetic separator

Based on state-of-the-art knowledge, the processes of the formation of intense ion beams in the transverse magnetic field of a commercial electromagnetic separator are analyzed. It is shown that, given the conditions of closed electron drift, the potentials will surely equalize along the fast ion trajectories all the way through the beam length; hence, no improvement in dynamic decompensation is caused by the low-frequency noise of the source. It is established that increasing the full beam current forces the maximum amplitude of the current density oscillations out to the beam periphery crosswise. For the first time, it is shown that suppressing noise oscillations in the arc discharge of an ion source for the formation of a highly stable ion beam with a minimum inner potential drop is possible. At low pressures, with collective interaction out of play, the drop is determined by Coulomb's collisions between the beam particles and compensating electrons. The analysis of collective phenomena likely to occur in the ion-beam plasma of a separator gives evidence of an experimental space potential buildup with increasing residual gas pressure in the calutron, leading to a high-frequency ion-electron beam instability. It is pointed out that this instability combined with an additional decompensation results in a noticeable broadening of the beam energy spectrum, which in turn makes for a lower quality of separation.