Physics and Applications of Hydrogen Negative Ion Sources

This book gives a comprehensive overview of hydrogen negative ion sources and their applications to particle acceleration and nuclear fusion. The book begins with fundamental aspects of negative ion production by volume and surface processes in hydrogen and its isotopes. It covers key topics, such as the need for separation of negative ion production and extraction regions, the need for lowering the work function of the plasma electrode by using caesium vapor or special materials for caesium-free sources, and the ion extractor structure required for hydrogen negative ion sources. Chapters covering various specific ion sources and applications are written by scientists who participated in their development and include sources for accelerators and for neutral beam injection into controlled nuclear fusion reactors.

Author Biography

Marthe Bacal received the degree of Docteur ès Sciences Physiques from the University of Paris, Orsay, France, in 1973 and joined Laboratoire de Physique des Milieux Ionisés, Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France, in 1971, as a Research Scientist and Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (C.N.R.S.), in 1981, while maintaining affiliation with Ecole Polytechnique, Palaiseau, France. In 1996 and 2000 she was an Invited Professor at the National Institue of Fusion Science, Toki, Japan. Her current research interests are physics of negative ion production, negative ion sources, ion thrusters, and plasma-surface interactions. She received the Foucault Prize of the French Physical Society in 1980 and is a Fellow of the American Physical Society.