NITROGEN ION SPECTRUM FROM A LOW-ENERGY PLASMA-FOCUS DEVICE

The nitrogen ion spectrum generated from a low energy Mather-type Plas ma Focus device is reported, The main species of ions present are N+1, N+2, and N+3. It is found that its relative concentrations at a dista nce of several cm from the ion source are in agreement with those pred icted for an equilibrium charge-state of the beam, and hence the spect rum of the neutral nitrogen is also derived, By taking into account th e lateral spread of the beam due to multiple elastic scattering with t he background gas, the derivation of absolute values for the total ion spectrum within the investigated energy range (>170 keV), the total n umber and total energy of the fast particles has been obtained.