Patent Number: 059303131
Section: claims

1. An apparatus for transporting an intense ion beam comprising: means for creating a plasma channel in a gas;  means for injecting a positive ion beam into said channel at a mildly-relativistic mean velocity;  creating a plasma channel in a gas;  injecting a positive ion beam into said channel at a mildly-relativistic mean velocity; 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means for creating comprises a laser means for ionizing said gas. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said velocity, expressed as a fraction .beta. of the speed of light, is less than about 0.8. 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein said .beta. is between about 0.3 and 0.8. 5. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said gas is an organic gas, and said laser is a KrF laser. 6. A method for transporting an intense ion beam comprising: 7. The method of claim 6, wherein said step for creating uses a laser for ionizing said gas. 8. The method of claim 6, wherein said velocity, expressed as a fraction .beta. of the speed of light, is less than about 0.8. 9. The method of claim 8, wherein said .beta. is between about 0.3 and 0.8. 10. The method of claim 7, wherein said gas is an organic gas, and said laser is a KrF laser.