Space-Charge Neutralization Experiment With A Low-Energy Proton Beam

The mechanism of space-charge neutralization of a low-energy proton beam is investigated both experimentally and theoretically. In the experiment, the transverse profile of a 500 keV proton beam delivered by a duoplasmatron source is accurately measured at the end of a 3 m long drift space. Profile measurements are performed by an imaging technique using a scintillating screen and an intensified CCD camera. Measurement results done with different beam intensities (between 0.5 and 15 mA) and various residual-gas pressures are described. They show that, at high beam current an increase of the gas pressure results in a reduction of the beam spot, which indicates an increase of the value of the neutralization coefficient. On the other hand, the behavior is the opposite at low beam current: the beam size increases with the gas pressure. An interpretation of these experimental results is proposed.