An ion beam extraction apparatus (100), being configured for creating an ion beam (1), in particular adapted for a neutral beam injection apparatus of a fusion plasma plant, comprises an ion source device (10) being arranged for creating ions, and a grid device (20) comprising at least two grids (21, 22) being arranged adjacent to the ion source device (10) and having a mutual grid distance d along a beam axis z, wherein the grids (21, 22) are electrically insulated relative to each other, the grids (21, 22) are arranged for applying different electrical potentials for creating an ion extraction and acceleration field (3) along the beam axis z, and he ion source device (10) and the grid device (20) are arranged in an evacuable ion beam space (30) extending along the beam axis z, wherein at least one of the grids is a movable grid (21), which can be shifted along the beam axis z, and the grid device (20) is coupled with a grid drive device (40) having a drive motor (41), which is arranged for moving the movable grid (21) along the beam axis z and setting the grid distance d between the movable grid (21) and another one of the grids (21, 22). Furthermore, applications of the ion beam extraction apparatus and a method of creating an ion beam along a beam axis z are disclosed.

The invention relates to a liquid metal-ion beam system (1) or liquid metal electron beam system, including: a conductive emitter electrode (2), a conductive extractor electrode (3) opposite to the emitter electrode (2), a liquid metal reservoir (4) which is fluidically connected to the emitter electrode (2) for transporting liquid metal to the emitter electrode (2), a control unit (5) which is configured to apply a periodically varying operating voltage between emitter electrode (2) and extractor electrode (3).

The invention relates to a liquid metal-ion beam system (1) or liquid metal electron beam system, including: a conductive emitter electrode (2), a conductive extractor electrode (3) opposite to the emitter electrode (2), a liquid metal reservoir (4) which is fluidically connected to the emitter electrode (2) for transporting liquid metal to the emitter electrode (2), a control unit (5) which is configured to apply a periodically varying operating voltage between emitter electrode (2) and extractor electrode (3).

High propellant throughput Hall-effect thrusters (HETs) and components thereof are disclosed. A compact and high propellant throughput HET has an improved magnetic circuit that mostly shields the discharge chamber walls from high-energy ionized propellant, low-profile sacrificial pole covers to delay magnetic pole erosion, a unique discharge chamber subassembly, a mechanically crimped cathode emitter retainer to increase efficiency, a center-mounted hollow cathode, or a combination thereof. Such feature(s) may balance propellant throughput and thruster performance, minimize the volume of the thruster envelope, and/or simplify the thruster assembly.

A crucible that exploits the observation that molten metal tends to flow toward the hottest regions is disclosed. The crucible includes an interior in which dopant material may be disposed. The crucible has a pathway leading from the interior toward an aperture, wherein the temperature is continuously increasing along the pathway. The aperture may be disposed in or near the interior of the arc chamber of an ion source. The liquid metal flows along the pathway toward the arc chamber, where it is vaporized and then ionized. By controlling the flow rate of the pathway, spillage may be reduced. In another embodiment, an inverted crucible is disclosed. The inverted crucible comprises a closed end in communication with the interior of the ion source, so that the closed end is the hottest region of the crucible. An opening is disposed on a different wall to allow vapor to exit the crucible.

An object of the invention is to provide a grid assembly which is easy to assemble and is high in assembly reproducibility, and an ion beam etching apparatus including it. A grid assembly is constructed of three grids each in the shape of a circular plate, which are stacked one on top of another. The grid assembly includes three fixing holes for fixing the three grids, and three positioning holes for positioning the three grids. In assembly, the three grids are stacked one on top of another on a first ring so that positioning pins provided on the first ring are inserted into the positioning holes. Then, a second ring is stacked on top of the three grids, and bolts are inserted into the fixing holes. Thus, positioning is performed by using the fixed positioning pins and thereafter the fixing can be performed, which facilitates the assembly.

An ion source has an arc chamber having first and second ends and an aperture plate to enclose a chamber volume. An extraction aperture is disposed between the first and second ends. A cathode is near the first end of the arc chamber, and a repeller is near the second end. A generally U-shaped first bias electrode is on a first side of the extraction aperture within the chamber volume. A generally U-shaped second bias electrode is on a second side of the extraction aperture within the chamber volume, where the first and second bias electrodes are separated by a first distance proximate to the extraction aperture and a second distance distal from the extraction aperture. An electrode power supply provides a first and second positive voltage to the first and second bias electrodes, where the first and second positive voltages differ by a predetermined bias differential.

A system and method for extending the life of a cathode and repeller in an IHC ion source is disclosed. The system monitors the health of the cathode by operating using a known set of parameters and measuring the bias power used to generate the desired extracted beam current or the desired current from the arc voltage power supply. Based on the measured bias power, the system may determine whether the cathode is becoming too thin, and may take a corrective action. This corrective action may be to alert the operator; to operate the IHC ion source using a predetermined set of parameters; or to change the dilution used within the IHC source. By performing these actions, the life of the cathode may be more than doubled.

An ion source has a vacuum envelope structure having a cylindrical portion with a lengthwise axis and an inside diameter defining an interior volume, joined at one end to a flange concentric with the axis, the cylindrical portion open by an exit aperture through the flange and open at an end opposite the flange, an RF feedthrough closing the open end of the cylindrical portion opposite the flange, creating a cylindrical interior volume open only through the exit aperture, and a magnet system carrier structure surrounding the cylindrical portion of the vacuum envelope and carrying at least one annular permanent magnet concentric with the lengthwise axis, providing a magnetic field penetrating the interior volume. The ion source is characterized in that the magnet system carrier structure is translatable along the lengthwise axis enabling variable positioning of the magnetic field in the interior volume along the lengthwise axis.

An ion source having an extraction plate with a variable thickness is disclosed. The extraction plate has a protrusion on its interior or exterior surface proximate the extraction aperture. The protrusion increases the thickness of the extraction aperture in certain regions. This increases the loss area in those regions, which serves as a sink for ions and electrons. In this way, the plasma density is decreased more significantly in the regions where the extraction aperture has a greater thickness. The shape of the protrusion may be modified to achieve the desired plasma uniformity. Thus, it may be possible to create an extracted ion beam having a more uniform ion density. In some tests, the uniformity of the beam current along the width direction was improved by between 20% and 50%.