First operation of the charge-breeder electron-cyclotron-resonance ion source at the Texas A&M Cyclotron Institute.
The 14.5 GHz electron-cyclotron-resonance ion source (ECRIS) designed and fabricated specifically for charge breeding has been installed at the Texas A&M University Cyclotron Institute for use in the institute's ongoing radioactive-ion-beam upgrade. The initial testing of the source has just begun with magnetic analysis of the ECRIS beam. The source has only been conditioning for a brief time at low microwave power, and it is continuing to improve. After the source has been conditioned and characterized, charge-breeding trials with stable beams from a singly ionizing source will begin.
Production of rare isotope beams at the Texas A&M University Cyclotron Institute.
The Cyclotron Institute at Texas A&M is currently configuring a scheme for the production of radioactive-ion beams that incorporates a light-ion guide and a heavy-ion guide coupled with an electron-cyclotron-resonance ion source constructed for charge-breeding. This scheme is part of an upgrade to the facility and is intended to produce radioactive beams suitable for injection into the K500 superconducting cyclotron. The current status of the project and details on the ion sources used in the project is presented.
ELECTRON CYCLOTRON RESONANCE ION TRAP, A MULTICHARGED ION BREEDER/BUNCHER
Abstract The basic mode of operation of an electron cyclotron resonance ion source is recalled, particularly when using such a device as an ion charge breeder for the production of radioactive ion beams suitable for acceleration (1+→n+conversion). A new mode of operation, Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Trap (ECRIT), permitting to trap and bunch the n+ ion beams is demonstrated. The principle of the ECRIT mode is explained. The charge breeder/buncher system is experimentally verified by the injection of a 400 nA Rb1+ ion beam leading to a 11.5 μA peak current of the Rb15+ ion beam extracted during the first ms. The temporal evolution of the cumulated particle transformation efficiency is measured in the case of Rb15+ and shows a 2.2% efficiency during the first 20 ms of the ECRIT extraction. The interest of the ECRIT mode is finally shown when used for the production of high-energy radioactive ion beams.