Progress of laser ablation for accelerator mass spectroscopy at ATLAS utilizing an ECRIS

Beams of ions from the laser ablation method of solid materials into an electron cyclotron resonance ion source (ECRIS) plasma have been used for the first time in experiments at ATLAS. Initial accelerator mass spectroscopy experiments using laser ablation for actinides and samarium have been performed. Initial results of coupling the laser system to the ECR source have guided us in making a number of changes to the original design. The point of laser impact has been moved off axis from the center of the ECR injection side. Motor control of the laser positioning mirror has been replaced with a faster and more reliable piezo-electric system, and different raster scan patterns have been tested. The use of the laser system in conjunction with a multi-sample changer has been implemented. Two major problems that are being confronted at this time are beam stability and total beam intensity. The status of the development will be presented and ideas for further improvements will be discussed.