A SOLID-DISCHARGE, HEAVY-ION SOURCE FOR HEAVY-ION FUSION-

CLOTH FIBER CATHODES HAVE BEEN SHOWN TO BE EXTREMELY USEFUL AS HIGH-BRIGHTNESS, LONG-PULSE, COLD-CATHODE ELECTRON EMITTERS. THIS RESEACH WILL EXTEND THIS TECHNOLOGY TO ION EMISSION (SPECIFICALLY CARBON (C) IONS). AN ELECTRIC DISCHARGE WILL BE STRUCK TO THE CLOTH BY THREE DISTINCT HIGH-VOLTAGE EXCITATION TECHNIQUES TO PRODUCE A RICH PLASMA CAPABLE OF EMITTING A HIGH CURRENT DENSITY, LOW-EMITTANCE BEAM. DISCHARGE PARAMETERS WILL BE VARIED IN ORDER TO OPTIMIZE THE CARBON ION CURRENT DENSITY AS OBSERVED AFTER ACCELERATION THROUGH A 150 KV GAP. DIAGNOSTICS WILL INCLUDE BIASED ION COLLECTORS, DIELECTRIC TRACK DETECTORS, AN EMITTANCE MASK COMBINED WITH DIELECTRIC TRACK DETECTION, AND RUTHERFORD BACK- SCATTERING SURFACE ANALYSIS. THE GOAL IS TO DEMONSTRATE ACCELERATION OF 1US, 1 A/AM2, 30CM2, LOW-EMITTANCE C1 BEAM.