Operational test of micro-oven for 48Ca beam

Area of Science:

• Nuclear Physics
• Accelerator Science
• Materials Science

Background:

• High-intensity and stable ion beams are crucial for nuclear physics research and applications.
• Electron Cyclotron Resonance (ECR) ion sources require efficient methods for producing metallic ion beams.
• Calcium-48 (Ca-48) is a key isotope for various nuclear reaction studies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To test a micro-oven system for producing a high-intensity and stable calcium-48 (Ca-48) beam.
• To optimize the production of metallic calcium for use in an RIKEN 18-GHz ECR ion source.
• To investigate methods for reducing material consumption and enhancing beam intensity.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a micro-oven containing a mixture of calcium oxide (CaO) and aluminum (Al) powders.
• Employed a reductive reaction by heating the mixture to produce metallic calcium.
• Implemented a 'hot liner' to reduce material consumption rate.
• Applied a negative voltage bias to the micro-oven to enhance beam intensity.

Main Results:

• Successfully confirmed the production of a metallic calcium beam.
• Achieved a reduction in the material consumption rate through the use of a 'hot liner'.
• Enhanced the beam intensity by applying a negative voltage bias to the micro-oven, mimicking a 'biased disk' effect.

Conclusions:

• The tested micro-oven system is effective for producing a calcium beam for ECR ion sources.
• The 'hot liner' and negative voltage bias techniques offer practical improvements for beam production efficiency and intensity.
• These advancements contribute to supplying high-intensity and stable Ca-48 beams for scientific research.