Aspects of increasing the electric strength of devices with focusing ion-optical systems

Currently, research on plasma physics and controlled thermonuclear fusion widely use intense beams of energetic ions and atoms. High-current beams of ions and atoms of hydrogen (deuterium) are used to create and heat the plasma to fusion temperatures in installations with magnetic confinement of the plasma. The fast particle injectors for fusion devices started to develop with the construction of the magnetic trap. The authors of the present research deal with such problems as increasing the service life of mentioned devices, simplifying their design, fabrication and assembly, while reducing economic costs. This can be achieved in the ion-optical system for ion engine comprising isolated from each other with conductive hemispherical mesh emission and accelerating electrodes, fasteners and electrical contactors. The emission accelerating electrodes are attached to two different flanges pressing them through the grommet between the flanges installed closed covers on all sides of ceramic insulators, the flanges are directly connected to the electrical contactors, the supply and support capacities throughout the area fit mesh electrodes to the flanges. In the result of the analysis of the ion-optical system it is obvious that one method of increasing the electrical strength is the principle of geometric focusing, i.e. the full beam is formed of many aimed at a common focus point of the elementary beam source of the penning with a thermionic cathode, and the use of focus ion beam and the use of protection of the inner surface of the bulb from dust and materials of the electrodes.