Innovative ion sources for accelerators: the benefits of the plasma technology

Abstract

The most important developments in the field of ion sources at INFN-LNS, Catania, have been based on the generation of warm plasmas by means of microwaves at different frequencies ranging from 2.45 GHz to 28 GHz. Different Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources (ECRIS) have been designed and built, in particular SERSE and CAESAR are working for the Superconducting Cyclotron at LNS, at the operating frequency of 14, 18 and 28 GHz. The design of an innovative source to be operated at 28 or 35 GHz, named GyroSERSE, has been completed, with the aim to provide mA beams of highly charged heavy ions. This kind of design is particularly suited for the beam injectors of accelerator facilities to be built in the next decade. Three different 2.45 GHz microwave discharge ion sources (MDIS) have also been built for different purposes: to obtain high efficiency ionization for RIB production or to produce high current proton beam for Accelerator Driven System (ADS). A fourth compact one, with permanent magnets, is under construction. The description of these equipments will be carried out, along with the results of the hybrid ion source, consisting of a laser-generated plasma source coupled to the SERSE high performance ECRIS. : 52.50.Dg, 52.50.Sw, 29.25.Ni PACS

Intense beam production with ECR ion sources

“…On the other way, the feasibility of a hybrid ion source LIS-ECRIS was demonstrated at INFN-LNS in 2002 [24] and at RIKEN recently, which opens the possibility of much higher current, provided that some technological problems are solved, as for example the target outgassing inside the plasma chamber, which requires a high vacuum. In addition, multi-milliamperes production of light and heavy ion beams for industrial applications will be the frontier for the near future, as this kind of application requires that the cost below and the mean time between failures be high.…”