Guiding Fast Ion Beam by Suppressing Secondary Ions

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Authors: Yingli Xue, Junliang Liu, Mingwu Zhang, D. Fischer, Guoxing Xia, Nikolaus Stolterfoht, R. Schuch, Yehong Wu, Bian Yang, Xiaoxiao Li, Caojie Shao, Wei Wang
+8 more Zhangyong Song, Xing Fang, Cheng Qian, L. T. Sun, H. W. Zhao, Guoqing Xiao, Xiaohong Cai, Deyang Yu
Cited by: 0
References: 51

Abstract

We demonstrate that secondary ions sputtered from a macrocapillary's inner surface by the primary beam induce premature saturation of the guiding field, hindering fast ion guiding. By suppressing secondary ion sputtering with grooved surfaces, we achieve a guiding-field potential difference exceeding 1 kV, 2 orders of magnitude larger than previously achieved in stable ion guiding. This enables stable guiding of a 20-keV/q O^{5+} beam at offset angles up to 15°, with transmitted ions retaining their initial energy and charge state. A self-consistent field model accurately reproduces these results, revealing that guiding performance relies on managing secondary ions and the channel's voltage tolerance, while remaining robust against beam fluctuations. This Letter paves the way for ionic fibers that, much like optical fibers for light, passively and adaptively control ion transport.

Fields of Study & Subjects

Particle accelerators and beam dynamics Ion-surface interactions and analysis Crystallography and Radiation Phenomena

Publication details

Journal / source
Physical Review Letters
Volume
136
Issue
10
Pages
103001–103001
Publication date
11 February 2026
Language
EN