APPARATUS FOR, AND METHODS OF, DETECTING THE DIRECTION AND FOCAL PROPERTIES OF NEUTRAL PARTICLE BEAMS

Abstract

A source wire is in the path of a neutral particle beam formed from positively and negatively charged particles (ions) and neutral particles (atoms). The source wire strips electrons from the negatively charged particles to neutralize these particles and strips electrons from the neutral particles to create positively charged particles. A magnetic field is perpendicular to the path of the particle movement. A detector wire downstream from the source wire detects the total particle flux. A magnetic field is perpendicular to the path of the particle movement. A variation, preferably cyclical, may be provided in at least one of (a) the characteristics of the magnetic field and (b) the positioning of the detector wire relative to the source wire in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field and the particle movement. The resultant signal produced on the detector wire by the combined action of such magnetic field and/or detector wire movement is processed to indicate the characteristics, including direction, divergence and scattering of the neutral particle beam in a first direction. Second source and detector wires disposed in a direction respectively perpendicular to the first source and detector wires may be subjected to a second magnetic field perpendicular to the first magnetic field and to the particle path to determine the characteristics, including direction and divergence and scattering of the neutral particle beam in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. A grid of source and detector wires may also be disposed in the first and second directions to enhance the indications of the characteristics, including direction, divergence and scattering, of the neutral particle beam in the first and second directions.

Source: Google Patents

35 USC §181 Secrecy Order

Inventor

• 1DONALD A. SWENSON

Sensitive facility: Albuquerque NM (Kirtland AFB/Sandia)

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