Characterization of the Ion Beam Current Density of the RF Ion Source with Flat and Convex Extraction Systems

The characterization of ion beam current density distribution and beam uniformity is crucial for improving broad-beam ion source technologies. The design of the broad ion beam extraction system directly affects these two parameters, therefore, depending on the application, the design and geometry of the source is changed. In this study, the effect of the presence or the absence of a neutralization process on the ion beam density was investigated. Also, the effect of the probe bias on the ion beam current measurement was evaluated. Eventually, using a flat probe, the ion beam profiles obtained from the extraction system of the ion source (Model RFIS 60, ACECR, Iran) were measured at energies from 300 eV to 1000 eV and compared in terms of current and uniformity of the ion beam in the absence of the neutralizer. In these experiments, screen and accelerator grids with different geometries (flat and convex grids) were used for comparison purposes. According to the obtained results, the flat grids generate a higher current density while the convex grids generate a more uniform beam. Therefore, each of these grid geometries can be suitable depending on the desired application.