Metal plasma formation in Duhocamis

The dual hollow cathode ion source for metal ion beams (Duhocamis) was introduced in 2007. The Duhocamis is derived from the indirectly-heated cathode GSI-PIG ion source and more suitable for producing various metal ion beams. To further understand the discharge characteristics of Duhocamis, a series of arc discharge experiments have been performed on the test bench at Peking University. The transfer process from PIG discharge to dual hollow cathode discharge (DHCD) mode in the source was observed by changing the sputter voltage, and the metal ion ratio of > 90% for DHCD was measured. The formation process of metal plasma is emphasized and discussed in this article.