Potential mapping with charged-particle beams

Abstract

Experimental methods of mapping the equipotential surfaces near some structure of interest rely on the detection of charged particles which have traversed the regions of interest and are detected remotely. One method is the measurement of ion energies for ions created at a point of interest and expelled from the region by the fields. The ion energy at the detector in eV corresponds to the potential where the ion was created. An ionizing beam forms the ions from background neutrals. The other method is to inject charged particles into the region of interest and to locate their exit points. A set of several trajectories becomes a data base for a systematic mapping technique. An iterative solution of a boundary value problem establishes concepts and limitations pertaining to the mapping problem.