A comprehensive review on the versatility of Faraday Cups as a beam diagnostic instrument
A new feature paper published in the September 2025 issue of Instruments provides a comprehensive review of Faraday cups, a crucial diagnostic tool in charged particle detection. Led by Bharat Singh Rawat and featuring contributions from other QUASAR Group members, the paper serves as a detailed guide for the scientific community.
The article serves as a reference for students, researchers, and engineers, outlining the working principles and some design considerations of Faraday cups along with all the important references. It highlights their versatility across a wide range of scientific disciplines, including:
- Particle Accelerators: Measurement of beam current and intensity.
- Mass Spectrometry: Analysis of charged particles by mass-to-charge ratio.
- Thermonuclear Fusion: Diagnostics for plasma and ion beams.
- Antimatter Experiments: Detection of charged antiparticles.
- Electric Propulsion: Characterization of ion thruster beams.
In addition to their applications, the paper also discusses the latest technological advancements, such as improved collector materials, novel designs, enhanced measurement techniques, and developments in electronics and data acquisition (DAQ) systems. It concludes with a summary of common challenges, including issues related to sensitivity, calibration, and potential sources of error, providing a complete overview for anyone working with these instruments.
The full paper can be found at:
Rawat, Bharat Singh, Narender Kumar, Debdeep Ghosal, Daliya Aflyatunova, Benjamin Rienäcker, and Carsten. P. Welsch. 2025. "Faraday Cups: Principles, Designs, and Applications Across Scientific Disciplines—A Review" Instruments 9, no. 3: 20. https://doi.org/10.3390/instruments9030020