Production of a Highly Ionized Ion Beam by a Plasma Focus

Generation of the highly charged ions such as C + ∼ C 4+ using the Mather type plasma focus is carried out. Measurement of the energy distribution with a Thomson parabola analyzer shows that the maximum energy per charge state extends to ∼1.5 MeV/Z, for each species approximately. Generation of such huge electric field to accelerate ions is reasonably explained by an anomalous plasma resistivity induced in the collapsed plasma column. The discrepancy between the induced voltage and the observed one across the collector plates is discussed taking the capacitance of the coaxial electrode into account. A microchannel plate which is extremely useful for the time dependent ion measurement is calibrated for energetic ions of C + ∼ C 4+ by the produced ion beams.