Stabilization of the high frequency instability of an ion beam in a plasma by means of a low-power electron beam

The possibility of suppressing high frequency instability in a monoenergetic ion beam in a plasma by means of a low-power electron beam is investigated theoretically and experimentally. Analytical equations are derived to calculate the electron temperature at which it is possible to stabilize ion beam instability without exciting the kinetic instability of the electron beam. Observations of a helium ion beam (110 keV) and an electron beam (17 V) in a plasma were carried out in order to confirm the theoretical results. It is demonstrated that the instability of the ion beam did not influence ion beam transport when the velocity of the electron beam was close to that of the ion beam. The mechanisms for the stabilizing effect were the small oscillation amplitudes and short relaxation times of the excited electron beam.