Patent Number: 051065703
Section: claims

1. A method for generating a negative hydrogen ion beam comprising the steps of: (a) providing a source of metal hydride;  (b) heating said source to dissociate said metal hydride and thereby generating one of a quantity of hydrogen atoms and a quantity of negative hydrogen ions at a surface of said hydride;  (c) applying a negative electric charge to said surface of said metal hydride to ionize said hydrogen atoms and to maintain said ions as negative hydrogen ions; and  (d) electrically accelerating said hydrogen ions as a directed beam.  (a) providing a source of metal hydride;  (b) directing an electron beam against a surface of said source and thereby generating negative hydrogen ions at said surface; and  (c) electrically accelerating sad hydrogen ions as a directed beam. 2. The method of claim 1 wherein said hydrogen ions are electrically accelerated by the application of a d.c. electric field at said surface of said metal hydride. 3. The method of claim 1 wherein said step of applying an electrical charge includes directing an electron beam onto said surface of said hydride. 4. The method of claim 1 wherein said metal hydride is selected from the group consisting of the AB.sub.5 hydrides, binary metal hydrides, the saline hydrides, and the alkaline earth metal hydrides. 5. A method for generating a negative hydrogen ion beam comprising the steps of: 6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of applying a negative electric charge to said surface of said metal hydride to prevent said negative hydrogen ions from losing charge. 7. The method of claim 5 wherein said hydrogen ions are electrically accelerated by the application of a d.c. electric field at said surface of said metal hydride. 8. The method of claim 5 wherein said metal hydride is selected from the group consisting of the AB.sub.5 hydrides, binary metal hydrides, the saline hydrides, and the alkaline earth metal hydrides.