Practical considerations in realizing a magnetic centrifugal mass filter

Abstract

The magnetic centrifugal mass filter concept represents a variation on the plasma centrifuge, with applications that are particularly promising for high-throughput separation of ions with large mass differences. A number of considerations, however, constrain the parameter space in which this device operates best. The rotation speed, magnetic field intensity, and ion temperature are constrained by the ion confinement requirements. Collisions must also be large enough to eject ions, but small enough not to eject them too quickly. The existence of favorable regimes meeting these constraints is demonstrated by a single-particle orbit code. As an example of interest, it is shown that separation factors of about 2.3 are achievable in a single pass when separating Aluminum from Strontium ions. © 2012 American Institute of Physics.