Ion Charge Separation in a Multi‐Species Plasma Flowing through a Magnetic Transport System

Abstract

Key words Vacuum arc, ions mass and charge separation, curved magnetic field.Energy spectra of ions of various charged states at different cross-section of a titanium plasma flow produced with a dc vacuum arc were studied. It was established that ions with different charges states were spatially separated during their travel through a plasma transport system based on a curved magnetic field. Ions with greater charge states were concentrated in the inner part of the curved plasma flow, i.e. closer to the centre of curvature of the field lines, so that the average charge state of ions in this area was higher than that at the outer part of the flow. A computer simulation of guiding a multi-species plasma flow by a curved magnetic field qualitatively agreed with the experimental data.