New compact design for an ion source

A compact ion source has been designed for use in the production of amorphous carbon thin films with diamond-like properties. This filament-discharge ion source works very efficiently at a low input electrical power. The design, which is simple and reliable, has some features that makes it distinct from that of the multicusp and plasma discharge ion sources. We have achieved a transportable beam with a current density of 100 mA cm(-2) delivered by a filament-discharge power of 150 W. The final goal of this development is associated to the design of a particle accelerator for applications that require high beam intensities, like the boron neutron capture therapy. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.