Atomic oxygen simulation and analysis

Abstract A technique has been developed for creating in the laboratory suprathermal, neutral atomic beams by means of grazing-incidence collisions between ion beams and metal surfaces. Residual ions are deflected by applied electric fields. The resulting neutral beams are pure, well-focused and mono-energetic. Energies from a few eV to tens of keV are obtainable. The technique permits the beams to be used in conjunction with electron and photon irradiation for studies of synergistic effects. Of particular interest is the creation of a low-energy, neutral, atomic-oxygen beam, which is of importance to space-related research.