Compact Surface Plasma Source for Intense Beam of Hydrogen Negative Ion Production

75610-This project will develop an improved Compact Surface Plasma Negative Ion Source, optimized for the production of continuous and high-duty-factor hydrogen and deuterium negative ion beams, for the next generation of hadron accelerators. The new ion source, which will use catalytic surface-plasma generation and pre-extraction resonant charge-exchange cooling, will be designed to provide high beam brightness and long source lifetime. An increase in average beam intensity of up to 10 mA will be obtained by increasing the duty factor, along with improved cooling of the ion source and the suppression of discharge noise and electrode erosion. Phase I will: (1) determine the optimum source configuration including heat removal, extraction optics, and conditions for minimizing such destruction factors as sputtering and erosion of electrodes; (2) identify anticipated performance characteristics and manufacturing costs of systems for both research and industrial purposes; (3) perform scaling, design, theoretical calculations, computer simulations, and experimental measurements to determine the probability of success; and (4) determine the critical source parameters that affect the beam quality and source lifetime. Phase II will implement a prototype, highly-improved version of the negative ion source system as an ideal solution for the next generation of high current proton accelerators. Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: The compact surface plasma negative ion source should find use in the many proton accelerators around the world that now use charge-exchange injection, in cyclotrons for isotope production, in tandem accelerators for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy, for resonant gamma ray diagnostics, for explosives detection, and for low energy positron diagnostics.