Plasma studies on electron cyclotron resonance light ion source at CEA∕Saclay

Area of Science:

• Plasma Physics
• Particle Accelerators
• Ion Beam Technology

Background:

• The CEA has developed intense light ion beam production from unconfined Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) plasma since the 1990s.
• Current projects like IPHI, SPIRAL2, and IFMIF utilize ECR sources for high-intensity ion beams (H+, D+).
• Improving source performance and reducing dimensions necessitates a deeper understanding of particle production and extraction mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

• To theoretically investigate the reduction of plasma chamber size without compromising beam characteristics.
• To validate theoretical models with experimental data from existing ion beam sources.
• To experimentally explore methods for reducing plasma chamber dimensions.

Main Methods:

• Theoretical study using SOLMAXP, a custom particle-in-cell code.
• Validation of the SOLMAXP code with beam intensity measurements on a permanent magnet source.
• Assembly of a new experimental source, ALISES, featuring a variable plasma chamber volume.

Main Results:

• The SOLMAXP code was validated against experimental data from a source producing a 30 mA proton beam at 40 kV.
• Theoretical investigation into reducing plasma chamber size is ongoing.
• The ALISES source is under assembly for experimental validation.

Conclusions:

• Understanding plasma dynamics is crucial for optimizing ion source performance and size.
• Particle-in-cell simulations offer a viable approach to explore design modifications.
• Experimental validation with sources like ALISES is essential for confirming theoretical predictions and developing compact ion beam systems.