Attraction between trapped ions and beams of electrons

Abstract

The attraction between 100 and 160 eV electron beams and a cloud of trapped calcium ions was observed experimentally. To explain the effect, analytical and numerical models were proposed. They are based on the well-known, classical, Rutherford scattering model. The experimental results and theoretical predictions are in very good agreement. The observed effect is important for studying propagation of electrons through plasmas.