Patent ID: 8138677

Claim:
An ion accelerator comprising: a split solenoid magnetic field structure having a high mu return field yoke and an axis of symmetry; a hall effect vacuum magnetic field gap established between two halves of the high mu return field yoke of the split solenoid magnetic field structure; a gas source positioned external to the solenoid; the gas source capable of delivering gas into the solenoid through the hall effect vacuum magnetic field gap; an anode positioned external to the solenoid proximal to the hall effect vacuum magnetic field gap; a cathode capable of producing electrons that enter the hall effect vacuum magnetic field gap from within the solenoid; an electric circuit capable of establishing an electrical potential field between the anode and the cathode; the electric potential field established between the cathode and the cathode electrons and the anode causing the gas from the gas source to become ionized; and the ions being accelerated by the electric field between the anode and the cathode into the solenoid through the hall effect vacuum magnetic field gap.