Gasdynamic electron cyclotron ion sources: Basic physics, applications, and diagnostic techniques.

The gasdynamic electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source is a type of the device in which the ionization efficiency is achieved primarily due to a high plasma density. Because of a high particle collision rate, the confinement is determined by a gasdynamic plasma outflow from a magnetic trap. Due to high efficiency of resonant heating, electrons gain energy significantly higher than that in inductively or capacitively coupled plasmas. As a consequence of such a parameter combination, the gasdynamic ECR plasma can be a unique source of low to medium charged ions, providing a high current and an ultimate quality of an ion beam. One of the most demanded directions of its application today is a development of high-current proton injectors for modern accelerators and neutron sources of different intensities. Special plasma parameters allow for the use of diagnostic techniques, traditional for multiply charged ECR plasmas as well as for other types of discharges with a high plasma density. Among the additional techniques, one can mention the methods of numerical simulation and reconstruction of the plasma density and temperature from the parameters of the extracted ion beams. Another point is that the high plasma density makes it possible to measure it from the Stark broadening of hydrogen lines by spectroscopy of plasma emission in the visible range, which is a fairly convenient non-invasive diagnostic method. The present paper discusses the main physical aspects of the gasdynamic ECR plasma, suitable diagnostic techniques, and possibilities and future prospects for its various applications.

Diagnostic techniques of minimum-B ECR ion source plasma instabilities.

The performance of a minimum-B Electron Cyclotron Resonance Ion Source (ECRIS) is traditionally quantified by measuring the beam current and quality of the extracted ion beams of different charge state ions. The stability of the extracted ion beam currents has drawn more attention recently as the technology is pushing its limits toward higher ion charge states and beam intensities. The stability of the extracted beam is often compromised by plasma instabilities manifesting themselves as rapid oscillations of the beam currents in millisecond scale. This paper focuses on practical aspects of diagnostics techniques of the instabilities, showcases examples of instability-related diagnostics signals, and links them to the plasma physics of ECR ion sources. The reviewed techniques include time-resolved microwave emission diagnostics, bremsstrahlung measurements, direct measurement of electron and ion fluxes, measurement of the ion beam energy spread, and optical emission diagnostics. We list the advantages and disadvantages of each technique and outline the development needs of further diagnostics. Finally, we discuss the implications of the instabilities in both historical and forward-looking context of ECRIS development.

A powerful pulsed "point-like" neutron source based on the high-current ECR ion source.

The paper presents recent results of a "pointlike" neutron source development based on a D-D fusion in a D-loaded target caused by its bombardment with a sharply focused deuterium ion beam. These developments are undergoing at the Institute of Applied Physics of Russian Academy of Sciences in order to study a possibility to create an effective and compact device for fast-neutron radiography. The last experiments with a beam produced by a gasdynamic high-current ECR ion source and its focusing with a magnetic lens demonstrated that 60 mA of deuterium ions may be constricted to a transversal size of ∼1 mm at the focal plane. With a purpose to improve this result in terms of the beam current and its size, a combined electrostatic and magnetic focusing system is proposed and analyzed. It is shown that the combined system may enhance the total beam current and reduce its footprint down to 0.13 mm. All numerical analysis was performed using the IBSimu code.

Wide-aperture dense plasma fluxes production based on ECR discharge in a single solenoid magnetic field.

Results of experimental investigation of the ECR discharge in a single coil magnetic field as an alternative to rf and helicon discharges for wide-aperture dense plasma fluxes production are presented. A possibility of obtaining wide-aperture high density hydrogen plasma fluxes with homogeneous transverse distribution was demonstrated in such a system. The prospects of using this system for obtaining high current ion beams are discussed.

Status of the gasdynamic ion source for multipurpose operation (GISMO) development at IAP RAS.

A new experimental facility named GISMO (Gasdynamic Ion Source for Multipurpose Operation) was constructed at the IAP RAS to continue investigations in the field of gasdynamic ion sources. The source utilizes 28 GHz/10 kW gyrotron radiation for heating magnetically confined plasma. Magnetic field configuration provided by a fully permanent magnet system is much like a simple mirror trap. The GISMO source is aimed at the production of bright ion beams with hundreds of milliamperes current. The facility has been tested for continuous-wave (CW) operation with 2 kW of heating power to check durability of a microwave injection system and the plasma chamber. A 2-electrode extraction system with an integrated Einzel lens was designed for a formation of CW high current beam with up to 100 kV accelerating voltage. The first results on ion beam production at GISMO are presented together with the general progress status of the facility.

Observation of Poincaré-Andronov-Hopf Bifurcation in Cyclotron Maser Emission from a Magnetic Plasma Trap.

We report the first experimental evidence of a controlled transition from the generation of periodic bursts of electromagnetic radiation into the continuous-wave regime of a cyclotron maser formed in magnetically confined nonequilibrium plasma. The kinetic cyclotron instability of the extraordinary wave of weakly inhomogeneous magnetized plasma is driven by the anisotropic electron population resulting from electron cyclotron plasma heating in a MHD-stable minimum-B open magnetic trap.

Study of hydrogen ECR plasma in a simple mirror magnetic trap heated by 75 GHz pulsed gyrotron radiation.

Plasma of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge sustained by millimeter wave radiation is widely used for production of ion beams of different kind. The main trend in ECR ion sources development nowadays is an increase of frequency and power of microwave heating. The most advanced systems use gyrotrons in 24-60 GHz frequency range. In previous studies at IAP RAS it was demonstrated that ECR source SMIS 37 (Simple Mirror Ion Source) with 37.5 GHz heating operating in quasigasdynamic regime of plasma confinement is able to produce proton and deuteron beams with ion current density about 700 mA/cm2. As the next step of these investigations plasma properties of the discharge sustained by 75 GHz radiation have been studied. Plasma density and electron temperature were determined using spectroscopic and Langmuir probe techniques. It was demonstrated that plasma density could reach values close to 1014 cm-3 and that is of great interest for further development of high current ion sources for various applications.

Generation of high charge state platinum ions on vacuum arc plasma heated by gyrotron radiation.

The hybrid high charge metal ion source based on vacuum arc plasma heated by gyrotron radiation into simple magnetic trap has been developed. Two types of magnetic traps were used: a mirror configuration and a cusp one with inherent "minimum-B" structure. Pulsed high power (>100 kW) gyrotrons with frequency 37.5 GHz and 75 GHz were used for heating the vacuum arc plasma injected into the traps. Two different ways were used for injecting the metal plasma-axial injection by a miniature arc source located on-axis near the microwave window, and simultaneous radial injection by a number of sources mounted radially at the midplane of the traps. This article represents all data gathered for platinum ions, thus making comparison of the experimental results obtained with different traps and injections convenient and accurate.

Generation of high charge state metal ion beams by electron cyclotron resonance heating of vacuum arc plasma in cusp trap.

A method for generating high charge state heavy metal ion beams based on high power microwave heating of vacuum arc plasma confined in a magnetic trap under electron cyclotron resonance conditions has been developed. A feature of the work described here is the use of a cusp magnetic field with inherent "minimum-B" structure as the confinement geometry, as opposed to a simple mirror device as we have reported on previously. The cusp configuration has been successfully used for microwave heating of gas discharge plasma and extraction from the plasma of highly charged, high current, gaseous ion beams. Now we use the trap for heavy metal ion beam generation. Two different approaches were used for injecting the vacuum arc metal plasma into the trap--axial injection from a miniature arc source located on-axis near the microwave window, and radial injection from sources mounted radially at the midplane of the trap. Here, we describe preliminary results of heating vacuum arc plasma in a cusp magnetic trap by pulsed (400 µs) high power (up to 100 kW) microwave radiation at 37.5 GHz for the generation of highly charged heavy metal ion beams.

Influence of the shear flow on electron cyclotron resonance plasma confinement in an axisymmetric magnetic mirror trap of the electron cyclotron resonance ion source.

Influence of shear flows of the dense plasma created under conditions of the electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) gas breakdown on the plasma confinement in the axisymmetric mirror trap ("vortex" confinement) was studied experimentally and theoretically. A limiter with bias potential was set inside the mirror trap for plasma rotation. The limiter construction and the optimal value of the potential were chosen according to the results of the preliminary theoretical analysis. This method of "vortex" confinement realization in an axisymmetric mirror trap for non-equilibrium heavy-ion plasmas seems to be promising for creation of ECR multicharged ion sources with high magnetic fields, more than 1 T.

Multicharged ion source based on Penning-type discharge with electron cyclotron resonance heating by millimeter waves.

We suggest a Penning-type discharge as a trigger discharge for fast development of pulsed electron cyclotron resonance plasma. The Penning-type discharge glows at a low pressure as needed. Gyrotron radiation (75 GHz, 200 kW, 1 ms) was used for plasma heating. Fully striped helium ions were demonstrated, average charge of ions in the plasma was ≈ 2. Experiment and calculations show that high charge states of heavier gases require lower initial pressure and longer development time. Only moderate charge states are achievable in this pulsed scheme.

Optimization of gas utilization efficiency for short-pulsed electron cyclotron resonance ion source.

Numerical analysis of (6)He atoms utilizing efficiency in the ion source with powerful gyrotron heating is performed in present work using zero-dimensional balanced model of ECR discharge in a magnetic trap. Two ways of creation of ion source with high gas utilization efficiency (up to 60%-90%) are suggested.

Experimental electron energy distribution function investigation at initial stage of electron cyclotron resonance discharge.

Experimental investigation is undertaken to study formation of electron energy distribution function (EEDF) at the initial stage of electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge inside magnetic mirror trap. In experiment, where discharge was initiated by high power radiation of gyrotron operated in the mm-wavelength range, electrons were revealed to leave the trap having EEDF be quite different from Maxwellian one. Specifically, the EEDF was found to decrease slowly with energy up to 400-500 keV and drops abruptly further. The possible physical mechanisms are discussed to explain losses of high energy electrons from the trap and a limitation of their energy.

Glow plasma trigger for electron cyclotron resonance ion sources.

Electron cyclotron resonance ion sources (ECRISs) are particularly useful for nuclear, atomic, and high energy physics, as unique high current generators of multicharged ion beams. Plasmas of gas discharges in an open magnetic trap heated by pulsed (100 micros and longer) high power (100 kW and higher) high-frequency (greater than 37.5 GHz) microwaves of gyrotrons is promising in the field of research in the development of electron cyclotron resonance sources for high charge state ion beams. Reaching high ion charge states requires a decrease in gas pressure in the magnetic trap, but this method leads to increases in time, in which the microwave discharge develops. The gas breakdown and microwave discharge duration becomes greater than or equal to the microwave pulse duration when the pressure is decreased. This makes reaching the critical plasma density initiate an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge during pulse of microwave gyrotron radiation with gas pressure lower than a certain threshold. In order to reduce losses of microwave power, it is necessary to shorten the time of development of the ECR discharge. For fast triggering of ECR discharge under low pressure in an ECRIS, we initially propose to fill the magnetic trap with the plasmas of auxiliary pulsed discharges in crossed ExB fields. The glow plasma trigger of ECR based on a Penning or magnetron discharge has made it possible not only to fill the trap with plasma with density of 10(12) cm(-3), required for a rapid increase in plasma density and finally for ECR discharge ignition, but also to initially heat the plasma electrons to T(e) approximately = 20 eV.

Study of pulsed electron cyclotron resonance ion source plasma near breakdown: the preglow.

A careful study of pulsed mode operation of the PHOENIX electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source has clearly demonstrated the reality of an unexpected transient current peak, occurring at the very beginning of the plasma breakdown. This regime was named the preglow, as an explicit reference to the afterglow occurring at the microwave pulse end. After the transient preglow peak, the plasma regime relaxes to the classical steady state one. Argon preglow experiments performed at LPSC are presented. A theoretical model of ECR gas breakdown in a magnetic trap, developed at IAP, showing satisfactory agreement with the experimental results is suggested.