Optical properties of Makrofol using argon ion beam emerging from optimizing cold conical cathode ion source

In this work, the experimental results of the electrical discharge and output ion beam characteristics of the cold conical cathode ion source at different pressures are measured using nitrogen and argon gases. The optimum distance between the disc anode and the conical cathode, as well as the optimum inner diameters of two insulator confinement rings, are determined at different pressures using nitrogen gas. Also, the optimum distance between the ion exit aperture of the conical cathode and the ion collector plate is determined at a constant pressure and different discharge currents using nitrogen and argon gases. The ion source optimum efficiency at optimum operating conditions, constant pressure and discharge current is determined using nitrogen and argon gases. Also, the effect of negative voltage applied to the ion collector plate on the extracted ion beam current at optimum operating conditions and constant pressure is measured using nitrogen and argon gases. Additionally, the changes in optical properties of Makrofol nuclear track detector samples after exposure to different ion fluence from 5 × 1016 ions / cm2 up to 5 × 1018 ions / cm2 are determined using argon ions. The transmission of these samples in the wavelength range 200–2500 nm is measured. In addition, the color intensity, ΔE (the color difference between the non-exposure Makrofol sample and samples exposed to different argon ion fluence), is calculated. The color intensity increased with increasing argon ion fluence, indicating a significant color difference.