Characteristic time of ion extraction from a plasma bunchin laser isotope separation

The problem of ion extraction from plane and cylindrical plasma layers located respectively between the plates and coaxial cylinders of a capacitor in laser isotope separation is considered. Simplified analytic models and numerical calculations within the framework of one-dimensional two-fluid hydrodynamics are used. The ion current to the cathode is shown to be adequately described by the three-halves power equation in which the distance of the plasma bunch boundary from the cathode is the electrode separation and the voltage drop across the capacitor plates serves as the voltage difference. The results of calculations are in qualitative agreement with experimental results.