Identification of the ECR zone in the SWISSCASE ECR ion source

The magnetic field of the permanent magnet electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion source SWISSCASE located at the University of Bern has been numerically simulated and experimentally investigated. For the first time the magnetized volume qualified for electron cyclotron resonance at 10.88 GHz and 388.6 mT has been analyzed in highly detailed 3D simulations with unprecedented resolution. The observed pattern of carbon coatings on the source correlates strongly with the electron and ion distribution in the ECR plasma of SWISSCASE. Under certain plasma conditions the ion distribution is tightly bound to the electron distribution and can considerably simplify the numerical calculations in ECR related applications such as ECR ion engines and ECR ion implanters.