Temperature regulated transmission of 1 keV-Ar+ ions through muscovite mica nanocapillaries

The experiments were performed to study the influence of the conductivity on the transmission of 1-keV Ar + ions through mica nanocapillaries by regulating the temperature. Two heating pathways were used: first charged-up to the stationary state at 24 °C and then discharged by heating to 115 °C; secondly, charged-up with synchronized heating from 24 °C to 115 °C. It is found that for the same final temperature (115 °C) from those two heating pathways, the transmission rates are reduced by about 50%, compared to that at 24 °C, and the final centers of the transmitted angular distributions converge. The observed convergence of the two distinct heating pathways to the same final transmission characteristics shows that the temperature regulation of the conductivity can be robust and easy to control the charging-up process and also suggests the possibility of using ion beams as a probe for the conductivity of insulating materials.