Segmented Electron Gun, Beam and Collector System and Method for Electron Cooling of Particle Beams

A method of cooling a particle beam with a segmented electron beam comprising the steps of:

• operating a vacuum chamber to allow passage, merging and separation of said segmented electron beam and said particle beam including an overlap region wherein said segmented electron beam and said particle beam are overlapped;
• operating an electron supply device including a segmented cathode comprised of separate electron emitting segments separated from each other by a non-emitting-region to produce said segmented electron beam;
• operating a first electrode located proximate to said segmented cathode and biased at a potential to accelerate said segmented electron beam away from said segmented cathode;
• operating a second electrode located proximate to and downstream of said first electrode and biased at a potential less than said first electrode in order to decelerate said segmented electron beam and to provide one end of a longitudinal force for a trap for neutralizing-background-ions;
• operating a magnetic field production device to create magnetic fields to guide said segmented electron beam along a desired path, merge and separate said segmented electron beam and said particle beam and to provide a transverse force for a trap for neutralizing-background-ions;
• operating a third electrode located proximate to said overlap region and biased at a potential to set the velocity of said segmented electron beam to the desired velocity of said particle beam;
• operating an electron collector including a fourth electrode, a fifth electrode, a sixth electrode and a collection plate to collect said segmented electron beam and to provide a second end of a longitudinal force for a trap for neutralizing-background-ions;

An electron beam and electron collector system including an electron beam and an electron collector, comprising:

• a vacuum chamber to allow passage of said electron beam and to maintain low pressure;
• a first electrode located at the upstream end of said electron collector to allow passage of said electron beam;
• a second electrode located downstream from said first electrode and biased negatively with respect to said first electrode to allow passage of said electron beam and to decelerate said electron beam;
• a collection plate located downstream from said second electrode and biased positively with respect to said second electrode to collect the electron beam;
• a magnetic field production device to provide a transverse force for a trap for neutralizing-background-ions;

A method of collecting an electron beam in an electron collector, comprising the steps of:

• operating a vacuum chamber to allow passage of said electron beam and to maintain low pressure;
• operating a first electrode located at the upstream end of said electron collector to allow passage of said electron beam;
• operating a second electrode located downstream from said first electrode and biased negatively with respect to said first electrode to allow passage of said electron beam and to decelerate said electron beam;
• operating a collection plate located downstream from said second electrode and biased positively with respect to said second electrode to collect the electron beam;
• operating a magnetic field production device to provide a transverse force for a trap for neutralizing-background-ions;

An electron beam and electron collector system including an electron beam and an electron collector, comprising:

• a vacuum chamber to allow passage of said electron beam and to maintain low pressure;
• a first electrode located at the upstream end of said electron collector to allow passage of said electron beam;
• a second electrode located downstream from said first electrode and biased negatively with respect to said first electrode to decelerate said electron beam;
• a first collection plate located downstream from said second electrode and biased positively with respect to said second electrode to collect the substantially central portion of said electron beam;
• a third electrode located proximate to said first collection plate to allow passage of said electron beam;
• a fourth electrode located downstream from said third electrode and biased negatively with respect to said third electrode to decelerate said electron beam;
• a second collection plate located downstream from said fourth electrode and biased positively with respect to said fourth electrode to collect the substantially outer portion of said electron beam;
• a magnetic field production device to provide a transverse force for a trap for neutralizing-background-ions;

A method of collecting an electron beam in an electron collector, comprising the steps of:

• operating a vacuum chamber to allow passage of said electron beam and to maintain low pressure;
• operating a first electrode located at the upstream end of said electron collector to allow passage of said electron beam;
• operating a second electrode located downstream from said first electrode and biased negatively with respect to said first electrode to decelerate said electron beam;
• operating a first collection plate located downstream from said second electrode and biased positively with respect to said second electrode to collect the substantially central portion of said electron beam;
• operating a third electrode located proximate to said first collection plate to allow passage of said electron beam;
• operating a fourth electrode located downstream from said third electrode and biased negatively with respect to said third electrode to decelerate said electron beam;
• operating a second collection plate located downstream from said fourth electrode and biased positively with respect to said fourth electrode to collect the substantially outer portion of said electron beam;
• operating a magnetic field production device to provide a transverse force for a trap for neutralizing-background-ions;