Study of ion spectra of a vacuum Arc ion source with titanium-nickel alloy hydride cathode

Abstract An experimental study of the ion charge state distribution and mass-charge component of vacuum arc discharging with titanium-nickel alloy hydride by the time-of-flight method is carried out. The study shows that the charging states of titanium ion and nickel ion are 1+, 2+, and 3+. Besides, in the early stage of the discharging process (0–30 μs), the proportion of H + gradually increases with time and reaches a maximum ratio of 57% at 30 μs, the proportion of Ti n + and Ni n + (n = 1,2,3) gradually decreases with time and reaches a minimum ratio of 43% at 30 μs; In the later stage of the discharging process (30 μs-270 μs), the proportion of H + begins to decrease rapidly and remains unchanged at around 12% during the period spanning from 75 μs to 270 μs; the proportion of Ti n + and Ni n + (n = 1, 2, 3) gradually increases with time and remains around 88% from 75 μs to 270 μs.