Intense beams from gases generated by a permanent magnet ECR ion source at PKU

An electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source is designed for the production of high-current ion beams of various gaseous elements. At the Peking University (PKU), the primary study is focused on developing suitable permanent magnet ECR ion sources (PMECRs) for separated function radio frequency quadrupole (SFRFQ) accelerator and for Peking University Neutron Imaging Facility. Recently, other kinds of high-intensity ion beams are required for new acceleration structure demonstration, simulation of fusion reactor material irradiation, aviation bearing modification, and other applications. So we expanded the ion beam category from O, H⁺, and D⁺ to N⁺, Ar⁺, and He⁺. Up to now, about 120 mA of H⁺, 83 mA of D⁺, 50 mA of O, 63 mA of N⁺, 70 mA of Ar⁺, and 65 mA of He⁺ extracted at 50 kV through a 6 mm aperture were produced by the PMECRs at PKU. Their rms emittances are less than 0.2 π mm mrad. Tungsten samples were irradiated by H⁺ or He⁺ beam extracted from this ion source and HHe holes and bubbles have been observed on the samples. A method to produce a high intensity HHe mixed beam to study synergistic effect is developed for nuclear material irradiation. To design a He⁺ beam injector for coupled radio frequency quadruple and SFRFQ cavity, He⁺ beam transmission experiments were carried out on PKU low energy beam transport test bench and the transmission was less than 50. It indicated that some electrode modifications must be done to decrease the divergence of He⁺ beam.