An experiment for the investigation of forces on microparticles in ion beams.

A novel experiment for the study of forces on microparticles in ion beams is presented. A broad beam ion source provides a vertically upward directed beam wherein 100 microm hollow glass spheres are injected. The particles are illuminated by a diode laser and recorded with a charge-coupled device camera. From the trajectories the acceleration and the net force on the particles are determined. Information on energetic neutral atoms is achieved, which is not accessible by electrostatic methods.