A linear anode layer ion source is provided that includes a top pole having a linear ion emitting slit. An anode under the top pole has a slit aligned with the top pole ion emitting slit. At least one magnet creates a magnetic field that passes through the anode slit. Wherein the width of the anode slit is 3 mm or less. A process of generating an accelerated ion beam is also provided that includes flowing a gas into proximity to said anode. By energizing a power supply electron flow is induced to the anode and the gas is ionized. Accelerating the ions from the anode through the linear ion emitting slit generates an accelerated ion beam by a process superior to that using a racetrack-shaped slit.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an end-Hall ion source has an electron emitting cathode, an anode, a reflector, an internal pole piece, an external pole piece, a magnetically permeable path, and a magnetic-field generating means located in the permeable path between the two pole pieces. The anode and reflector are enclosed without contact by a thermally conductive cup that has internal passages through which a cooling fluid can flow. The closed end of the cup is located between the reflector and the internal pole piece and the opposite end of the cup is in direct contact with the external pole piece, and wherein the cup is made of a material having a low microhardness, such as copper or aluminum.

In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an end-Hall ion source has an electron emitting cathode, an anode, a reflector, an internal pole piece, an external pole piece, a magnetically permeable path, and a magnetic-field generating means located in the permeable path between the two pole pieces. The anode and reflector are enclosed without contact by a thermally conductive cup that has internal passages through which a cooling fluid can flow. The closed end of the cup is located between the reflector and the internal pole piece and the opposite end of the cup is in direct contact with the external pole piece, and wherein the cup is made of a material having a low microhardness, such as copper or aluminum.

A miniature Hall current plasma source apparatus having magnetic shielding of the walls from ionized plasma, an integrated discharge channel and gas distributor, an instant-start hollow cathode mounted to the plasma source, and an externally mounted keeper, is described. The apparatus offers advantages over existing other Hall current plasma sources having similar power levels, including: lower mass, longer lifetime, lower part count including fewer power supplies, and the ability to be continuously adjustable to lower average power levels using pulsed operation and adjustment of the pulse duty cycle. The Hall current plasma source can provide propulsion for small spacecraft that either do not have sufficient power to accommodate a propulsion system or do not have available volume to incorporate the larger propulsion systems currently available. The present low-power Hall current plasma source can be used to provide energetic ions to assist the deposition of thin films in plasma processing applications.

The present invention pertains to an apparatus for generating a charged particle beam comprising a magnetic element for controlling the profile of the beam in a predetermined plane. A cathode can be provided for emitting charged particles and an anode for accelerating the charged particles along an axis of travel. The present invention also pertains to a method for generating a particle beam that has a uniform profile in a predetermined plane comprising inducing emission of charged particles from an emitter, accelerating those particles along and toward an axis of beam travel, generating a magnetic field with a component aligned with the axis of beam travel but different in the predetermined plane than at the emitter, and modifying the beam profile.

A miniature Hall current plasma source apparatus having magnetic shielding of the walls from ionized plasma, an integrated discharge channel and gas distributor, an instant-start hollow cathode mounted to the plasma source, and an externally mounted keeper, is described. The apparatus offers advantages over other Hall current plasma sources having similar power levels, including: lower mass, longer lifetime, lower part count including fewer power supplies, and the ability to be continuously adjustable to lower average power levels using pulsed operation and adjustment of the pulse duty cycle. The Hall current plasma source can provide propulsion for small spacecraft that either do not have sufficient power to accommodate a propulsion system or do not have available volume to incorporate the larger propulsion systems currently available. The present low-power Hall current plasma source can be used to provide energetic ions to assist the deposition of thin films in plasma processing applications.

The invention is a Hall thruster that does not have any discharge channel, and magnetic pole piece. The Hall thruster utilizes permanent magnets to produce magnetic field with strong radial component in front of an annular anode, and expands propellant directly into vacuum through the anode acting also as a gas distributor. The invention reduces mass and complexity of conventional Hall thrusters, and offers a radical solution to discharge channel and magnetic pole piece erosion problem.

The invention is a unique and substantive improvement in ion source assemblies which is able to produce a ribbon-shaped ion beam having an arbitrarily chosen breadth dimension which is at least ten times greater [and often more than thirty times greater] than its thickness dimension, the breadth and thickness dimensions of the beam being normal (i.e., perpendicular) to the Z-axis direction of travel for the ion beam. In all its embodiments, the improved ion source will comprise not less than two discrete component parts: (i) A closed, solid wall, prism-shaped arc discharge chamber having limited width and depth dimensions, and which concurrently has an arbitrarily chosen and predetermined length dimension which can be as small as 80 millimeters and alternatively exceed 3,000 millimeters in size; and (ii) A primary electron trap assembly which comprises at least an adjacently located magnetic field generating yoke subassembly able to provide a discernible quadrupole magnetic field internally within a confined cavity volume existing within the measurable dimensions of the arc discharge chamber walls.

The invention is a unique and substantive improvement in ion source assemblies which is able to produce a ribbon-shaped ion beam having an arbitrarily chosen breadth dimension which is at least ten times greater [and often more than thirty times greater] than its thickness dimension, the breadth and thickness dimensions of the beam being normal (i.e., perpendicular) to the Z-axis direction of travel for the ion beam. In all its embodiments, the improved ion source will comprise not less than two discrete component parts: (i) A closed, solid wall, prism-shaped arc discharge chamber having limited width and depth dimensions, and which concurrently has an arbitrarily chosen and predetermined length dimension which can be as small as 80 millimeters and alternatively exceed 3,000 millimeters in size; and (ii) A primary electron trap assembly which comprises at least an adjacently located magnetic field generating yoke subassembly able to provide a discernible quadrupole magnetic field internally within a confined cavity volume existing within the measurable dimensions of the arc discharge chamber walls.

The invention is a unique and substantive improvement in ion source assemblies which is able to produce a ribbon-shaped ion beam having an arbitrarily chosen breadth dimension which is at least ten times greater [and often more than thirty times greater] than its thickness dimension, the breadth and thickness dimensions of the beam being normal (i.e., perpendicular) to the Z-axis direction of travel for the ion beam. In all its embodiments, the improved ion source will comprise not less than two discrete component parts: (i) A closed, solid wall, prism-shaped arc discharge chamber having limited width and depth dimensions, and which concurrently has an arbitrarily chosen and predetermined length dimension which can be as small as 80 millimeters and alternatively exceed 3,000 millimeters in size; and (ii) A primary electron trap assembly which comprises at least an adjacently located magnetic field generating yoke subassembly able to provide a discernible quadrupole magnetic field internally within a confined cavity volume existing within the measurable dimensions of the arc discharge chamber walls.