To do the next set of experiments with ion trapping and recirculation, I need some ions. And I need them at pretty high vacuum to start the parameter sweep I think I'm going to want.
Given the task, I can't depend on - and don't want - the main trap to generate them via cascade ionization under Paschen's law - that would disturb what I'm trying to measure, and wouldn't
work anyway at the starting vacuum.
While the microwave ion source would probably work - it has before at e-6 mbar - the original got broken and detuned, and I'm not sure I want to deal with that, and what it would take
to get ions into the new vacuum setup - that would involve some making of holes and welding of flanges and so on.
Since I know the vacuum gage makes ions...well, here's the big brother to that. This has REAL magnets, and I'm somewhat surprised I got away without blood blisters or worse.
It took some real jigging and prying of things to get the magnets off their original keepers! I'm showing something over 5000 gauss in the gap. I might only get a microamp or so, but
that'll do, easily.
Not shown yet are some copper heat shields made of flashing to protect the magnets from direct impingement. Because I haven't made them yet, but it'll be a simple cut with scissors, bend with fingers and insert.
In case you're wondering where I expect the ions to come out, here's a top view.
Obviously I've gotten a little rusty with the welding, but it'll work. This is sized to easily fit through the removable window on the test vacuum system.