MASS ANALYSIS OF IONS PRODUCED BY HYPERVELOCITY IMPACT

Abstract

Ions resulting from the impact of hypervelocity microscopic particles upon a solid Ta target have been analyzed by time‐of‐flight techniques. The impact velocity of the micron‐size and smaller, predominately iron particles (∼98% Fe) ranged from 2 to 45 km/sec, which corresponds to an energy range of from 1 to 600 eV/atom. The kinetic energy of the particles is converted into internal energy of an expanding, partially ionized vapor cloud composed of both target and particle material. The energy conversion process occurs on a time scale comparable to that involved in Q‐switched laser beam‐solid target interactions. In addition to ions of both the bulk target and particle materials, a number of other ion groups are observed which are presumed to be impurities from both the particle and target. A tentative model describing the process is discussed.