Distributions of neutral atoms in pulsed ion diodes measured by optical interferometry and spectroscopy

Summary Form only given, as follows. Interferometry and spectroscopy have been used to clarify the precise process that occurs in the anode-cathode gap of the intense pulsed ion diode in order to control the extracted beam quality and to obtain the best operating condition. An annular, magnetically insulated diode driven by a 5- Omega , 60-ns Blumlein line was studied. Anode ion sources were conventional hydrocarbon waxes (or cryogenic frozen materials in some cases). The applied diode voltage was about 300 kV, and a biased ion collector and Rogowski coil were used to measure the extracted ion beam current and the diode current. The diameter of the anode was 160 mm, and the anode-cathode gap length was 4 or 5 mm. Laser shadowgraphs were taken to get a gross behavior of the particles in the gap. Two types of resonant interferometry, one of them being the Hook method, were applied.<>