Fast neutralization of ion beams in the presence of transverse magnetic fields

Abstract
A crucial problem in pulsed linear ion accelerators is the time‐dependent space‐charge neutralization of the ion beam by electrons from the walls. Analytic estimates and numerical simulation are used to discuss this problem, and it is found that in the presence of a magnetic field transverse (but not normal) to the ion flow, there is nearly complete neutralization on the scale of the ion beam rise time.