X-ray Monitoring Tool for Optimizing Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Sources

The production of high-quality, high-charge-state ion beams is an area of intensive research and development worldwide for particle accelerators, atomic physics experiments, and industrial applications. In nuclear physics research, the use of radioactive ions with extreme proton-to-neutron ratios provides insight into the synthesis of new elements and the discovery of rare nuclei. By reducing the accelerating voltage needed to achieve the desired beam energy, ion sources that generate multiply-charged ions would reduce the cost to produce radioactive ion beams. However, there is currently no way to diagnose the charge-state distribution extracted from the ion source without halting beam operations and taking the source ¿offline.¿ This project will develop a non-invasive, X-ray spectral diagnostic to monitor charge-state distribution in an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS). Combining the X-ray measurements with numerical modeling of charge breeding in the ECRIS will allow the charge-state distribution to be monitored while the beam is online. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: Online monitoring of the charge state distribution in ion sources should improve the efficiency of radioactive ion beam facilities as well as industrial applications of highly charged ions