The things we are intersted in moving are deuterons and not protons. If we simplify things and assume one electron emitted will create one deuteron (ion), 20ma of electron current can support 20 ma of deuteron current.
I realize that one electron (grid current) might create many deuterons by collision or none at all, but certainly we should aim for at least the same grid current on the outer ionizer grid as we would have deuteron current to the inner grid. It just seems sort of a natural minimalistic figure to begin engineering the device.
The proton is coulombically identical to the electron - just opposite in charge. As this is an electrostatic, accelerator/collider device, that is about all that we need bother with.
Richard Hull
Created on Saturday, December 23, 2000 1:24 AM EDT by Richard Hull