Ion transport

A process comprising:

• propagating an ion beam of energetic ions in a trajectory through an entrance port proximate to a cathode that is in a first location in a chamber that contains a gas and toward an anode that is in a second location in the chamber;
• regulating pressure of said gas in said chamber;
• cooling said chamber;
• initiating an electrical arc discharge between the cathode and the anode, the electrical arc comprising ions of the gas and free electrons;
• compensating deceleration of the ion beam of energetic ions, including:
• applying an electrical current between the anode and the cathode, thereby maintaining the electrical arc discharge, and
• applying a voltage between the anode and the cathode, thereby accelerating the free electrons into the same direction as the ion beam of energetic ions;
• wherein
• the compensating is carried out in an electric field where the cathode at the first location and the anode at the second location respectively direct the free electrons
• along paths, thereby said paths at least in part spatially overlapping trajectories of said energetic ions within said ion beam;
• absorbing, in a blanket, neutrons created by said energetic ions colliding with the ions of the gas and the gas;
• and
• heat exchanging thermal energy produced by said electrical arc and said absorbing.