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Preparing an Isotopically Pure 229Th Ion Beam for Studies of 229mTh
Published on: May 3, 2019
Optimization of a charge-state analyzer for electron cyclotron resonance ion source beams
S Saminathan1, J P M Beijers, H R Kremers
1Kernfysisch Versneller Instituut, University of Groningen, Zernikelaan 25, 9747 AA Groningen, The Netherlands.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|August 3, 2012
Summary
This study details helium ion beam extraction and transport, finding space-charge neutralization is effective. Aberration compensation significantly boosts beam transport efficiency from 16% to 45%.
Area of Science:
- Atomic and Molecular Physics
- Plasma Physics
- Accelerator Physics
Background:
- Extraction of low-energy ion beams from Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) ion sources presents challenges due to space-charge effects.
- Understanding beam dynamics, including emittance growth and aberrations, is crucial for efficient ion beam transport.
Purpose of the Study:
- To experimentally and computationally investigate the extraction and transport of a 24 keV He(+) beam.
- To analyze the impact of space-charge forces and secondary electron neutralization on beam quality.
- To develop and evaluate an aberration compensation scheme for improved beam transport efficiency.
Main Methods:
- Detailed experimental measurements of beam properties.
- Particle-in-cell simulations of ion beam extraction and transport.
- Calculation of second-order transfer maps for analyzing magnet aberrations.
- Development of a hexapole-based aberration compensation scheme.
Main Results:
- Complete space-charge neutralization observed for beam currents up to 0.5 mA.
- Significant emittance growth (five-fold) and beam losses occurred during transport through the analyzing magnet due to large initial emittance and non-paraxiality.
- Calculated beam profiles and phase-space distributions accurately matched experimental measurements.
- Simulations predicted a substantial increase in transport efficiency from 16% to 45% with aberration compensation and enlarged pole gap.
Conclusions:
- Slow ion beams are sensitive to space-charge forces, but secondary electron neutralization is effective.
- Beam transport through analyzing magnets can lead to significant emittance increase and losses, necessitating aberration correction.
- The proposed aberration compensation scheme, involving hexapole field modification, shows promise for enhancing ion beam transport efficiency in accelerators.
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