Experimental study on pulse characteristics of smaller diameter Penning ion source

Abstract For logging pulsed neutron tube with diameter less than 25 mm, a smaller diameter Penning ion source with a cylindrical plasma volume of Φ8 mm × 9 mm was designed to investigate the pulse characteristics of anode current. The pulse time and amplitude characteristics of anode current as a function of deuterium pressure and anode voltage were studied experimentally. The preferred working parameters for this smaller diameter Penning ion source were suggested, then obtained the pulse amplitude of anode current in the range of 1 mA∼ 3.5 mA, with the shortest pulse delay time of anode current less than 5 μs. The extract current was running stably with the extract efficiency of 22%∼ 27% for neutron tube application.