Part III: Confirmation:  Does it Work?

B.  Results

This plot of 3 spectra each, the cathode, the bottom of the anode space and the top of the anode space shows an encouraging relative spectral intensity (7-10) between the cathode and the top of the anode, but only relative intensity of slightly greater than 2.25 between the cathode and the bottom of the anode.  A good order of magnitude is desired.  Since particle density N is proportional to S^(2/3), the relative spectral densites imply relative particle densities of only 1.71 between the cathode and the bottom of the anode, and 4.64 between the cathode and the top.  While empirical data hardly constitutes proof, this data does suggest that the hypothesis merits further testing.

C.  Conclusions and Critiques

    i.  There is insufficient data to really draw any conclusions from except that more data is needed.  While the plot above isn't the only set of data from the project, it was some of the best.  Data taking has been a slow process, subject to many probable sources of error.  Among these are:

a.)  The optical path between the bell jar and spectrometer varies between sessions.  It is almost impossible to get the same exact alignment for a given afternoon session.

b.)  Even during the same session, the utmost care must be excersised to insure that the mirror is aligned to give the maximum intensity possible for a given viewing port.

c.)  The thermocouple gauge is still highly suspect.  A thorough calibration is in order.  The general level of glow in the device suggests that the pressure might still be above 10 microns.  The resistance across the chamber is too low.  It shouldn't draw hardly more than 1 or 2 mA at a voltage under 15kV.  Higher order confinement depends in part on a long mean free path for the ions, which requires low pressure.

d.)  The ion optics of the system were extremely crude.  All data taken to this date was with the welded wire cathode and the anode simply hung on 10-32 all-thread rods for support.  The real miracle is that it ever worked at all.

    ii.  In spite of the flaws in the system mentioned above,  the device behaves as a good prototype of the sort documented in Richard Hulls "Fusor!  An Introduction", which was the first source of material on this subject encountered by this author.  Because the prototype is apparently behaving as expected, it is reasonable to conclude that the problems with the current system can be surmounted.