Anode layer ion source. Operation pictures

[Andrew Seltzman]

All 5 ion sources have been completed and tested to produce an ion beam for 30min continuously. All 5 have been helium leak checked to the 10^-8 range, initialy 2 of the welds were bad, however those have been repaired.

Andrew Seltzman
www.rtftechnologies.org

[Richard Hull]

Needless to say, we are all looking forward to the final operation and reports related to all this hard work you are doing. I wish you all the very best in this first effort at a fully gunned amateur fusor..

Richard Hull

[Dustinit]

I also am looking forward to seeing this in operation.
Fantastic effort andrew.
As a possible extension on the idea,
I view the design as an assymetric penning trap which traps electrons
and pushes out the ions.
Therefore I see no reason why it needs to be a circular source,
So if you used bar magnets instead, interspaced with electrodes it may be possible
to build a source around the circumference of the fusor, or possibly all the fusor wall space if magnets are placed in a grid pattern.
This would make a more uniform source but I'm unsure it would have any benefits over Andrews superb effort.
Dustin

[Steven Sesselmann]

Dustin,

A few more good lateral ideas there, good one!

Steven

[Andrew Seltzman]

4 ion sources are now mounted on the core.

In this picture 1 of the ion sources is in use at about 800v on the source anode and about -2kv on the grid. The plasma will form a stable discharge all the way down to very low voltage on the grid with no observable pulsing or flickering even with 0.5mA collected by the grid.

When all 4 sources are put into operation, they should allow very stable operation at high vacuums and low grid currents.

Andrew Seltzman
www.rtftechnologies.org

[Steven Sesselmann]

Andrew,

Nice work, excellent photo, I can see your ion source working at the back of the chamber.

Steven

[Carl Willis]

Hi Andrew,

Looks like steady progress that is likely to pay dividends in the neutron department. This is an advanced development for sure. Good luck getting your high vacuum back in business, and I hope you can find the gas pressure "happy medium" between operability of the ion sources and desirable characteristics in the main discharge.

-Carl

[Andrew Seltzman]

Well, it's been 5 years since I last posted in this thread, but the quad ion gun setup for the Mark 3 fusor is now operational. Pictures of the power supply and setup follow:

Ion injector operating in testbed

Ion injector operating in testbed

Control board, 4 adjustable buck converters for EMCO HV power supplies

EMCO HV power supplies (5kV, 3mA), box and front panel

Power supply assembled

MHV connections to the 4 anode layer ion sources on the fusor

Star mode with 4 injectors running at 700v anode bias

The supply will be further upgraded to have a fiber optic signal to allow the injectors to be pulsed. This is so a capacitor can be placed in parallel with the central grid and charged up while the fusor is pumped down below the minimum paschen breakdown pressure. The injectors can then be pulsed triggering the breakdown and generating a very high density plasma for a short period of time (for use with the laser density probe).

[Richard Hull]

Any fusion, neutron numers on this most interesting setup?

Richard Hull

[Dennis P Brown]

Very professional setup - your design and execution appears to be working extremely well. Hope this provides far better fusion results!