NUMERICAL DESCRIPTION AND DEVELOPMENT OF PLASMA STRIPPER TARGETS FOR HEAVY-ION BEAMS

A Monte-Carlo simulation was developed to describe the stopping power of ions in ionized matter or cold non-ionized gases. The simulation co nfirmed that the enhanced energy loss in a plasma is mainly due to the higher mean charge state of the projectile ions in a plasma. The ener gy loss of copper ions and the mean charge states of argon and xenon i ons were calculated. The numerical results showed good agreement with experimental data. Founded on the predictions of the simulation a new plasma stripper target was developed with a possible application in fu ture heavy-ion driven ICF facilities. The new stripper target is based on the design of a pseudo-spark device. The stripping properties have been tested on an oxygen ion beam with an initial charge state of 4 at 0.9 MeV/u. With the new device the yield of completely stripped ox ygen ions increased almost four times compared with a corresponding co ld gas stripper target. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights rese rved.