Production of negative ions by bombarding a cesiated metal surface with cluster ions and post-acceleration

A new method of producing H- ions by bombarding cluster ions with a small glancing angle on a cesiated metal surface is proposed. On the basis of available experimental results, we conclude: (1) disintegration of clusters and conversion of their constituent atoms into H- ions can be simultaneously carried out on the surface; (2) an incident cluster ion beam is expected to produce the same equilibrium fraction of H- ion beams, as H+ ion beams of the same speed. Acceleration of the H- ions is investigated by computer simulation and it is found that a useful beam is obtained